lEx  ICthrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Sfymour  B.  Dursi  Old  York  Liurary 


LEVI  DIS BROW  S  Water  Boring  Machinery. 


SPRING  WATE&4> 


VERSUS 


FOR 


Supplying  the  City  of  New- York, 

CONTAINING  A 

COMPENDIOUS  EXAMINATION  OF  THE  INTERNAL 
SUPPLIES,  THE  METHOD,  AND  ACTUAL 
EXPENSE  OF  OBTAINING  THEM, 

ALSO, 

An  Examination  of  the  Water  Commissioners  Report  of  Nov. 
1833,  refuting-  many  of  the  objections  therein  contain- 
ed, and  exhibiting-  errors  in  their  estimate  of 
expense  for  procuring  water  on  the 
Island,  of  more  than 

Two  Millions  of  Dollars !  $2,000,000  !} 

BY  M.  HALE. 


From  error  fly,  and  truth  pursue.' 


NEW-YORK: 

p  — 

MARSH  &  HARRISON,  PRINTERS, 
No.  5  Eldritlge- Strut. 


1835. 


rp 

rvs 

MS 

WL 


When  the  writer  commenced  penning  these  pages,  it  was  not 
his  intention  to  lay  them  before  the  public  in  the  responsible 
situation  they  now  appear.  On  pursuing  his  investigations  he 
discovered  so  much  of  disingenuousness  in  the  objections  and 
errors  in  the  details  of  the  several  reports  that  fell  into  his 
hands  on  supplying  the  City  with  pure  water,  that  he  consid- 
ered it  the  duty  of  any  citizen  possessing  such  knowledge  to 
apprise  his  fellow-citizens  of  the  fact ; — he  has  thus  done.  With 
the  gentlemen  who  have  appeared  before  the  public  by  author- 
ity he  has  no  personal  acquaintance,  and  against  them  no  ani- 
mosity ;  bis  endeavour  has  been  "nothing  to  extenuate  or  set 
down  aught  in  malice."  If  any  of  his  remarks  be  caustic,  they 
are  so  because  the  simples  of  which  they  are  composed  have 
been  placed  in  his  hands  by  official  agents,  and  the  patients 
must  rest  content  in  receiving  a  medicine  prepared  from  ingre- 
dients of  their  own  furnishing. 


An  examination  into  the  subject  of  supplying  the  City  of 
New- York  with  pure  and  wholesome  water. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 

The  laudable  public  spirit  that  has  ever  been  exhibited  by 
the  inhabitants  of  this  city  in  introducing  improvements  to 
beautify  and  adorn  it,  to  increase  its  wealth,  and  add  to  the  com- 
fort and  health  of  its  inhabitants,  deserves  the  highest  commen- 
dation ;  but  there  is  one  subject,  and  that  too  by  which  every 
individual  is  seriously  affected,  on  which  there  appears  to  exist 
an  apathy  and  indecision  truly  astonishing — the  introduction  of 
pure  and  wholesome  water. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  the  deleterious  qualities  of  the 
city  water  have  been  a  subject  of  universal  complaint,  and  vari- 
ous  plans  proposed,  and  projects  introduced  for  remedying 
the  evil.    Large  sums  of  money  have  been  expended  by  au- 
thority, and  speculation  entered  into  under  legislative  sanction, 
and  yet,  from  all  that  is  at  present  before  the  public*  some  year? 
must  still  elapse  before  we  shall  be  furnished  with  a  supply, 
even  if  the  citizens  should  feel  disposed  to  submit  to  the  enor- 
mous expense  at  which  the  work  is  estimated.    The  report  of 
D.  B.  Douglas,  Esq.  who  in  1833,  under  the  direction  of  the  Wa- 
ter Commissioners,  made  a  very  critical  survey  and  estimate,  in 
which  he  gives  as  the  result,  the  total  cost  of  introducing  it  on 
one  route  at  $5,827,237,  and  on  another  $4,718,197 ;  and  when 
we  add  to  this  "  the  expense  of  distribution  and  reservoirs  on 
the  Island"  as  set  down  by  Col.  Clinton  in  his  report  in  1832, 
at  81,165,000,  it  would  make  the  whole  expense  on  the  first 
route  $6,992,237,  or  in  round  numbers,  seven  millions  of  dol- 
lars, and  on  the  second  route  85,883,197  !    Any  one  having  a 
knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  country  over  which  it  is  to  be 
brought,  and  the  expense  of  constructing  the  proposed  work, 
will  I  am  convinced,  be  satisfied  that  these  estimates  will  fall 
far  short  of  the  actual  cost. 


4 


In  the  Water  Commissioners  report,  Nov.  12,  1833,  p.  365, 
doc.  36,  they  say,  "  the  construction  of  the  works  will  require 
some  years"  to  complete  them.    All  must  be  sensible  that  un- 
less prompt  and  efficient  measures  are  taken  to  avert  the  evils, 
they  must  continue  to  increase  with  the  increased  ratio  of  our 
population,  till  they  are  completed.    The  indifference  which  is 
exhibited  in  a  body  politic  on  all  subjects  where  the  evils  are 
not  susceptible  to  their  vision,  or  do  not  immediately  press  on 
them,  appears  to  exist  in  this,  and  the  subject  only  agitated  peri- 
odically.   During  that  portion  of  the  year,  when  from  the  tem- 
perature of  our  climate  the  poisonous  qualities  of  the  water  from 
the  Manhattan  or  our  common  wells,  are  not  perceptible  from  its 
coldness,  and  partially  lessened  by  the  check  caused  to  the  de- 
composition of  animal  and  vegetable  substances  which  are  con- 
tinually accumulating  on  all  our  uncovered  surface,  we  hear  little 
ot  nothing  said  on  the  subject  ;  but  the  moment  the  hot  season 
commences  and  the  whole  mass  is  decomposed,  hurried  through 
the  loose  sand  into  our  wells  and  mixed  with  every  draught  of 
water,  then  it  is  that  universal  complaint  is  ushered  forth,  and 
all  our  citizens  alive  to  the  evils  and  the  injuries  ;  the  press 
sounds  the  alarm  ;  our  Common  Council  legislate  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  death  hurries  off  its  victims,  whose  disorders  have  been 
produced  by  this  pestiferous  compound  ;  the  cool  weather  again 
commences,  and  all  are  again  silent  on  the'subject. 

In  1831,  in  a  memoir  to  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  by 
several  highly  literary  and  scientific  gentlemen,  after  enumera- 
ting a  number  of  other  causes  of  impurity,  they  say,  "  but  we 
are  now  to  allude  to  another  cause  which  must  greatly  impair 
the  purity  of  our  waters.  Into  the  sand  banks  laying  under  our 
city,  are  daily  deposited  quantities  of  excrementitious  matter, 
which,  were  it  not  susceptible  of  demonstration,  would  appear 
almost  incredible  ;  with  our  present  population  there  is  put 
into  the  sand  about  one  hundred  tons  of  excrements  every  twen- 
ty-four hours ;  in  these  deposites  we  find  all  the  ingredients 
detected  by  analysis,  and  which  destroy  the  purity  of  our  water. 
The  coldness  of  the  pump  water  conceals  the  impurities  when 
swallowed  ;  this  may  be  tested  by  allowing  it  to  stand  until  it 
acquires  the  ordinary  summer  temperature — its  various  ingre- 
dients then  become  manifestly  palpable.  These  impurities  arc 
not  caused  oy  additional  heat,  they  exist  at  all  times  in  the  wa- 


.•» 


ter,  their  presence  is  only  disguised  by  its  coolness,  and  its  inju- 
rious qualities  are  in  no  ways  diminished." 

If  to  this  be  added  the  decaying  remains  of  the  innumerable 
animals,  insects,  and  reptiles  which  are  every  instant  of  time 
deprived  of  life,  on  or  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  in  our 
cellars  and  vaults,  and  even  in  the  insecure  curbing  and  loose 
walls  of  our  wells  above  the  water,  the  wonder  ceases  that  the 
impurity  of  the  water  rapidly  increases,  swelling  the  bills  of 
mortality  in  our  city  during  the  summer  months,  particularly 
with  children  whose  only  drink  is  composed  of  such  poisonous 
ingredients. 

Whenever  epidemical  diseases  have  visited  our  city,  it  has  been 
generally  considered  that  one  of  the  producing  causes  was  the 
unwholesomeness  of  the  water.  In  1822  it  was  demonstrated 
to  the  satisfaction  of  many  scientific  gentlemen,  that  the  conta- 
gion was  greatly  promoted,  if  not  engendered  by  the  poisonous 
qualities  that  were  thrown  from  Trinity  Church  Yard  into  the 
wells  in  the  vicinity  where  the  yellow  fever  first  made  its  ap- 
pearance. It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  observation,  that  in  all  periods 
of  the  prevalence  of  epidemical  distempers,  their  virulence  is 
always  greatest  even  among  the  temperate  portion  of  the  com- 
munity, where  the  wells  are  most  exposed  to  an  accumulation 
o£  filth,  and  the  surface  of  the  ground  open  to  admit  its  impu- 
rities. 

With  all  this  mass  of  testimony  before  us,  and  all  alike  sub- 
jected to  the  evils,  the  dangers,  and  the  injuries,  is  it  not 
strange  that  decisive  measures  have  not  been  pursued  to  afford 
a  remedy  !  -to  what  cause  is  this  to  be  attributed  ?  has  nature  in 
her  bountiful  Biorchorase  no  provision,  vHrivfa  ih©  necessities, 
the  wealth,  and  the  enterprise  of  this  great  and  growing  empo- 
rium can  convert  to  the  accomplishment  of  so  indispensible  an 
object  ?  or  is  it  that  it  must  be  obtained  by  some  mighty  effort, 
which  from  the  magnitude  of  the  work  would  add  renown  to  the 
names,  perhaps  riches  to  the  estates  of  those  to  whom  the  con- 
struction was  entrusted.    Must  we  wait  till  it  is  "  dear  bought 
and  far  fetched,"  when  sufficient  evidence  exists  to  satisfy  the 
most  sceptical  if  they  will  only  examine  for  themselves,  that  a 
sufficiency  of  that  element  i6  continually  circulating  through 
the  natural  channels  under  our  Island  to  supply  all  our  wants,that 
before  the  tide  of  improvement  had  covered  its  surface,  it  rose 


6 


in  numerous  places  above  the  ground  in  its  pure  state,  and  that 
it  might  now  be  reproduced  clear  and  limpid  as  it  exists  in  the 
mountain  reservoirs,  from  which  all  deep  and  large  springs  un- 
questionably derive  their  supplies,  by  sinking  iron  shafts. 

This  fact  has  been  fully  established  by  actual  demonstration 
in  various  parts  of  our  city,  where  individuals  have  caused  them 
to  be  introduced,  and  a  few  years  ago  by  our  corporation. — 
The  inhabitants  of  the  immediate  vicinity  fully  appreciating  the 
quality  of  the  water  and  the  abundance  of  the  supply.  Some 
three  years  ago,  however,  a  check  was  put  to  their  introduc- 
tion by  a  law  of  our  corporation,  which  still  remains  in  force, 
making  it  obligatory  on  the  petitioners  where  a  shaft  was 
asked  for,  to  incur  the  expense,  if  not  successful,  whereas  in  the 
case  of  wells,  the  property  intended  to  be  benefitted  was  as- 
sessed whether  successful  or  otherwise.  This  appears  to  me 
to  be  giving  a  bounty  for  procuring  surface  water  filled  with 
deadly  ingredients. 

So  satisfied  have  been  holders  of  real  estate,  and  gentlemen 
engaged  in  manufacturing,  where  pure  water  was  required, 
that  they  have  at  their  own  expense  sunk  shafts  which  have 
fully  realised  their  expectations,  both  in  abundance  of  supply 
and  quality  of  the  water,  and  thereby  increased  the  value  of 
the  property  in  their  vicinity,  and  added  greatly  to  the  comfort 
and  health  of  the  inhabitants.  As  these  facts  have  often  been 
laid  before  the  public  in  detail,  I  deem  it  inexpedient  to  pursue 
the  subject.  Dr.  Ackerly  in  1832  says  in  his  report  to  the  Com- 
mon Council  after  testing  both,  "  the  water  of  the  public  well  at 
the  reservoir  in  Thirteenth-street,  is  equally  pure  as  that  of  the 
Bronx,"  nnd  tno  Water  Commissionei  n  in  their  Keport,  Nov. 
1833,  p.  370,  doc.  30,  speaking  of  the  Bleecker-street  shaft 
sunk  by  the  Manhattan  Company,  say,  they  "  consider  it  a  very 
successful  operation,"  that  the  water  44  may  with  much  propri- 
ety be  pronounced  good  and  wholesome." 

Citizens  desirous  of  satisfying  themselves  on  this  subject, 
are  referred  to  Mr.  Samuel  Ficket,  of  the  Eleventh  Ward,  Mr. 
Guy  Richards,  at  his  distillery,  corner  of  Perry  and  Factory- 
streets,  Greenwich  Village,  or  to  the  shaft  on  what  was  for- 
merly Lespcnard's  meadows,  corner  of  Grand  and  Woos- 
ter-strcets. 


7 


Having,  during  a  long  residence  in  this  city  Buffered  great  in- 
convenience from  the  quality  of  the  water,  never  having  been 
able  for  any  length  of  time  to  drink  it  without  some  admixture 
to  neutralize  its  pernicious  ingredients,  and  having  after  the 
most  careful  examination  satisfied  myself  of  the  foregoing  facts, 
my  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  subject,  and  an  enquiry 
into  the  prospect  of  obtaining  a  foreign  supply,  of  which  I  had 
heard  much  said. 

It  will  be  perceived  by  the  extract  above  quoted  from  the  re- 
port of  the  Water  Commissioners,  (the  last  that  has  been  pla- 
ced before  the  public,)  that  it  will  require  some  years  to  com- 
plete the  works,  and  that  they  ever  will  be  constructed,  in  my 
opinion,  depends  on  a  contingency  which  I  shall  hereafter 
discuss. 

1111 


On  procuring  Internal  supplies. 

In  examining  the  Reports  on  the  subject  of  internal  supplies, 
the  practicability  of  obtaining  them,  and  their  extent,  I  am 
truly  astonished  that  any  individuals,  and  more  particularly 
public  agents  should  have  treated  the  subject  so  disingenuously, 
and  laid  such  gross  and  palpably  false  statements  before  the 
public. 

In  Nov.  1832,  by  a  resolution  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  fire 
and  water,  Col.  De  Witt  Clinton,  United  States  Engineer,  was 
appointed  "  to  examine  the  continuation  of  the  route  from 
Chatterton  Hill,  near  White-Plains,  to  Croton  River,  or  such 
other  source  in  that  vicinity,  from  which  he  may  suppose  that 
an  inexhaustible  supply  of  pure  and  wholesome  water  might  be 
obtained  ;  also  the  best  mode  of  conducting  the  same  to  the 
city,  and  the  probable  expense,  as  well  as  practicability  of 
bringing  the  water  across  Harlem  River  and  the  most  suitable 
point  where  the  same  shall  be,  and  the  best  mode  of  doing  it." 
It  was  with  great  surprise,  on  taking  up  his  report,  doc.  61, 
published  by  the  Corporation,  that  I  found  one  of  the  first  sub- 
jects treated  on  was  "  Mr.  Disbrow's  plan  of  sinking  shafts," 
as  the  report  terms  it. 


8 


Having  no  desire  to  derogate  from  the  deserved  reputation  of 
that  promising  Engineer,  in  whose  early  exit  our  country's  ser- 
vice has  sustained  a  great  loss,  and  society  a  bright  ornament, 
I  deem  it  proper  here  to  remark,  that  in  pursuing  this  investi- 
gation, I  disclaim  any  intention  to  apply  the  least  censure  to 
him,  for  I  do  contend  that  he  was  a  gentleman  too  well  ac- 
quainted with  official  responsibility,  and  too  sensitive  to  his  own 
reputation,  for  intelligence,  accuracy,  and  integrity,  to  have 
ever  allowed  himself  to  append  his  name,  and  thereby  hazard 
his  reputation  to  statements  so  absurd,  and  calculations  so  false, 
and  not  even  hinted  at  his  instructions,  unless  by  request,  and 
that  too  from  a  source  which  he  conceived  of  too  high  a  char- 
acter to  allow  him  to  doubt  for  a  moment  of  their  accuracy  ; 
and  it  becomes  the  imperative  duty  of  this  extra  official  agent, 
who  has  thus  veiled  himself  from  public  scrutiny  to  come  out, and 
either  sustain  the  positions  there  taken,  or  avow  the  authorship, 
and  thus  redeem  the  character  of  a  lamented  citizen  who  has 
passed  beyond  the  reach  of  self  vindication.  The  short  period 
of  time,  only  six  weeks  from  the  date  of  his  instructions  to  that 
of  the  report,  precludes  the  possibility  that  he  even  examined 
these  statements,  but  that  they  were  handed  to  him  engrossed, 
and  thus  placed  in  his  report.  Six  weeks  was  a  very  short 
time  for  him  to  perform  his  official  duties  with  fidelity  and  make 
up  his  report,  and  from  the  wide  range  of  investigation  he  has 
submitted  on  that  subject,  any  one  who  examines  it  must  be 
convinced  that  it  must  have  industriously  omipied  the  whole 
period. 

On  taking  up  the  Water  Commissioners  Report  I  perceive 
that  they  have  travelled  over  the  same  ground  on  the  internal 
supplies,  and  I  have  introduced  the  foregoing  remarks  only  in 
vindication  of  Col.  Clinton,  and  shall  review  the  estimates  as 
laid  down  by  them. 

In  42§  Col.  Clinton's  report  states  that  the  "plan"  might  suc- 
ceed on  "a  small  scale,"  but  when  "extended"  to  "a  whole  com- 
munity," it  will  be  "  an  experiment  of  a  very  doubtful  charac- 
ter." In  43$  the  fact  is  conceded,  "  that  perforations  sufficiently 
deep  will  produce  water,"  and  that  by  M  tubing  out  the  bad  springs 
and  veins,  it  may  be  of  excellent  quality,  soft,  cool  and  palata- 
ble."   Here  is  an  important  admission,  and  leads  to  the  inqui- 


9 


ry,  docs  such  water  exist  under  our  Island,  and  what  the  pro- 
bable supply  ? 

That  the  native  water  which  supplied  all  our  numerous 
springs,  formed  our  ponds,  and  produced  our  rivulets  in  various 
parts  of  the  Island,  emitting  abundant  supplies  of  the  purest 
quality,  at  the  period  when  civilization  was  first  planted  on  it, 
no  one  I  apprehend  will  deny.  Aged  citizens,  born  on  the 
Island,  can  now  point  you  to  the  places  when  in  their  boyhood 
they  drank  from  the  cool  spring,  or  angled  in  the  clear  brook, 
where  now  not  the  least  trace  exists  that  either  ever  existed. 
The  springs  and  rivulets,  which  fell  into  the  East  River  on  the 
slope  of  the  Island  that  formed  its  bank  from  the  Battery  to 
Roosevelt-street,  have  been  lost  from  the  recollection,  and  are 
only  known  to  have  existed  from  the  records  that  have  been 
preserved. 

The  Collect  remained  in  its  natural  state  for  a  greater  length 
of  time,  and  it  is  only  a  few  years  since  its  surface  has  been  en- 
tirely enclosed.  This  natural  reservoir  is  worthy  of  a  patient 
investigation. 

The  internal  construction  of  our  Island  is  a  gneiss  rock  ;  it 
is  of  an  undulating  character,  rising  to  the  surface  at  some 
points,  and  at  others  covered  with  a  deep  coat  of  earth,  rang- 
ing from  70  to  130  feet.  In  these  hollows  water  from  the 
springs  finds  its  outlet  through  the  stratum  of  the  rock  which 
form  their  bottom,  and  the  slope  of  their  sides  and  accu- 
mulates till  it  rises  to  where  nature  has  provided  an  outlet 
and  then  flows  off.  That  the  Collect  is  formed  for  one  of  those 
natural  basins,  no  possible  doubt  exists.  The  vast  amount  of 
vegetable  matter  which  had  accumulated  in  it,  and  which  had 
been  collecting  for  ages,  forms  not  the  least  evidence  that  the 
Architect  of  nature  had  not  there  created  a  magnificent  reser- 
voir, and  that  when  the  waters  were  introduced  through  their 
rock-bound  conduits  from  the  mountain  reservoirs  into  it, 
they  were  not  clear  and  limpid.  The  mucillaginous  substan- 
ces that  since  filled  it  were  all  produced  by  vegetation,  and  the 
washings  of  earth  from  the  high  grounds  on  its  shores. 

It  is  not  the  effect  of  visionary  speculation  to  carry  the  mind 
back  to  the  period  when  the  aboriginal,  standing  on  its  banks, 
beheld  it  a  clear  pure  pond,  its  crystal  surface  reflecting  the 
green  foliage  of  its  shores,  and  the  fishes  playing  their  gambols 

% 


10 


in  its  limpid  bosom.  This  is  all  consistent  with  the  laws  of 
nature,  and  as  deducible  from  natural  causes  and  effects,  as  the 
falling  water  from  the  clouds,  or  the  lightnings  within  them,  ex- 
hibiting their  fiery  forms  and  sending  forth  their  tremenducms 
and  unresisting  force.  If  further  evidence  were  necessary  to  con- 
vince any  one  of  their  natural  purity,  the  circumstance  that  the 
Manhattan  Company  located  their  works  on  its  margin,  and 
with  a  well  only  thirty  feet  deep,  affords  testimony  tha-t  at  that 
late  period,  1799,  the  waters  were  considered  good.  Had  this 
not  been  the  case,  interest  would  have  prevented  the  location, 
and  public  sentiment  raised  its  voice  against  it.  The  area  of  its 
surface  was  probably  from  sixty  to  eighty  acres,  and  the  slopes 
of  its  natural  bed  of  gentle  declevity. 

I  am  informed  by  a  respectable  individual,  that  when  Mr- 
George  Lorillard  erected  his  houses  at  the  corner  of  White 
and  Centre-streets,  he  procured  iron  rods  with  joints,  and  forced 
them  down  sixty  feet  before  coming  to  the  bottom,  and  that  it 
was  a  common  remark  that  it  was  bottomless.  It  appears 
astonishing  to  me  that  among  the  numerous  examinations,  the 
amount  that  has  been  expended  on  them,  and  with  a  knowledge 
that  it  might  easily  and  with  a  very  trifling  expence  have  been 
effected,  no  attempts  have  been  made  to  test  the  waters  drawn 
from  below  the  bed  of  the  Collect.  The  underlayers  are  pro- 
bably composed  of  similar  strata  with  those  in  other  parts  of 
the  Island,  where  the  springs  rose  in  abundance  and  formed 
marshy  grounds. 

Mr.  Disbrow  in  sinking  the  shafts  a1  the  intersection  of 
Grand  and  Wooster-streets,  and  Greene  and  Thompson, 
after  passing  about  forty  feet  of  filling  in,  came  to  the  original 
mud  composed  of  the  remains  of  undecayed  vegetables  and 
trees,  intermixed  with  a  small  share  of  alluvial  earth  ;  this 
continued  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet,  when  he  came  to  a  stra- 
tum of  fine  blue  clay  about  six  feet  in  thickness,  and  having 
passed  that,  came  to  a  bed  of  sand  similar  to  that  which  formed 
the  surrounding  hills.  Having  proceeded  five  or  six  feet  in 
that,  and  finding  the  waters  pure,  he  discontinued  boring,  and 
the  water  rose  to  within  seren  feet  of  the  surface  in  great 
abundance,  and  of  a  quality  that  will  bear  comparison  with  most 
of  the  country  springs,  and  so  remains  without  any  deteriora- 
tion.   The  samp  results  were  exhibited  in  the  shall  sunk  In 


11 


the  Washington  Market,  and  that,  it  is  well  known  stands  where 
the  waters  of  the  Hudson  once  flowed.  If  a  shaft  were  sunk  in 
this  manner  at  the  Collect,  which  might  be  effected  for  less  than 
$1000,  the  quality  of  the  water  would  be  then  fairly  tested. 

Doubts  have  also  been  expressed  of  the  abundance  of  its  sup- 
plies. On  this  subject  I  shall  lay  such  facts  before  the  public 
as  I  have  been  able  to  obtain,  coupled  with  such  observations  as 
appear  rational  to  me. 

The  natural  outlet  of  the  Collect  was  at,  or  near  its  north 
west  point,  forming  a  creek  at  what  was  denominated  the  stone 
bridge  in  Broadway  where  Canal-street  intersects  it.  I  have 
made  particular  inquiries  in  relation  to  this  outlet,  and  all  agree 
that  a  considerable  quantity  passed  off,  so  much  so  as  to  form 
an  open  channel  through  Lespenard's  meadows  to  the  North 
River.  Another  outlet  I  have  been  informed  carried  part  of  its 
waters  from  the  southeast  point  into  the  East  River,  some- 
where in  the  vicinity  of  Roosevelt-street,  and  the  nature  of  the 
ground  seems  to  favour  such  a  conclusion.  All  old  citizens 
recollect  the  tea-water  pump  of  ancient  times — the  springs 
that  fed  this  were  undoubtedly  tributaries  to  the  supplies  em- 
bosomed in  the  Collect. 

The  Manhattan  works  also  at  the  south  bend  is  supplied  from 
others.  From  these  we  are  informed  by  the  Water  Commission- 
ers, p.  357,  doc.  36,  that  "it  is  said  to  be  capable  of  yielding  more 
iban  1,000,000  gallons  in  twenty-four  hours,"  equal  to  one 
twentieth  part  of  the  supply  necessary  for  1,000,000  of  inhab- 
itants, at  twenty  gallons  to  each.    These  it  will  be  recollected 
are  located  in  the  banks  near  the  south  end  of  the  Collect,  and 
must  have  received  their  supplies  from  springs  in  that  direction. 
The  waters  would  not  have  retained  their  purity  had  they  been 
supplied  from  the  surface  water,  and  that  thrown  up  on  other 
points  and  mixed  with  the  impure  ingredients  with  which  that 
large  basin  is  filled.    I  learn  also  from  the  same  report,  p.  373, 
that  as  early  as  1774,  a  work  was  commenced  on  its  western 
side,  between  Pearl  and  White-streets,  but  that  "  the  war  of 
the  revolution"  "  was  the  cause  of  the  abandonment  of  the 
work  in  an  unfinished  state."    This  affords  strong  presumptive 
evidence,  that  at  that  period,  large  springs  discovered  them- 
selves in  that  direction.  I  am  also  informed  by  an  individual  of 
undoubted  veracity,  that  when  a  boy,  he  used  to  skate  on  the 


12 


Collect,  that  at  or  near  the  point  where  I  before  mentioned 
Mr.  Lorillard  tried  its  depth,  there  was  a  large  spring  boiled  up 
to  its  surface  "  as  big  as  the  heads  of  two  hogsheads,"  as  he  ex- 
pressed it,  that  it  never  froze  over,  and  that  he  had  frequently 
drank  from  it  and  the  water  was  good. 

From  these  facts,  and  I  believe  none  of  them  have  been 
doubted,  I  leave  my  fellow-citizens  to  judge,  whether  the  wa- 
ters in  their  native  state  are  not  of  a  quality  equal  to  any  other 
spring  water  issuing  from  the  gneiss  rocks,  which  underlays 
our  whole  country,  from  the  Green  Mountains  in  Vermont,  to 
the  Catskill  in  this  state,  and  the  Allegany  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  same  from  which  the  Croton  derives  its  supplies.  I 
shall  for  the  present  close  my  remarks  on  this  portion  of  inter' 
Tial  supplies,  by  fixing  it  at  3,000,000  gallons  in  24  hours, 
which  I  consider  a  reasonable  estimate.  The  water  Commis- 
sioners have  rated  the  supply  necessary  to  be  obtained,  for  all 
purposes,  at  22  gallons  a  day  for  each  inhabitant ;  this  on  the 
foregoing  calculation  would  afford  a  supply  for  136,362  inhabi- 
tants. 

Following  up  the  North  side  of  the  Island,  we  next  come  to 
Lispenard's  Meadows  ;  these  commenced  at  the  northerly  ex- 
tremity of  the  Collect,  nearer  the  North  River,  and  the  south- 
ern part  of  them  separated  by  a  bed  of  earth  where  Canal-street 
intersects  Broadway  ;  they  spread  out  in  different  direc- 
tions and  formed  a  marshy  quagmire  similar  to  the  Collect,  of 
equal  depth,  and  about  the  same  area.  Their  borders  were 
surrounded  by  springs  which  rose  to  the  top  of  the  ground,  and 
they  were  also  discovered  at  some  distance  from  the  shores. — 
The  Mechanics  who  erected  the  house  on  the  corner  of  Thomp- 
son and  Grand-streets  in  1822,  informed  me,  that  on  excava- 
ting the  cellar,  which  is  directly  opposite  the  shaft  before 
mentioned,  spring  water  came  up,  which  was  good  to  drink. — 
In  corroboration  of  this,  Mr.  George  Lorillard,  the  proprietor, 
ordered  a  square  place  below  the  bottom  to  be  flagged  up, 
which  I  have  often  examined,  and  although  the  water  in  sum- 
mer was  very  cold,  yet  the  surface  water  destroyed  its  purity  ; 
Jhis  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  from  the  shaft. 

In  this  shaft,  the  water  rose  to  such  a  height  that  it  might 
have  been  carried  into  the  cellar  by  a  pipe.  The  abundance 
has  never  been  tested,  and  although  hands  have  pumped  there 


13 


constantly  a  whole  day,  yet  no  sensible  diminution  could  be 
perceived,  and  my  opinion  is,  that  a  fire  engine  could  be  sup- 
plied by  it  for  hours  without  exhausting  its  supplies.  The  suc- 
tion pipe  of  a  fire  engine  was  applied  at  the  other  well,  on  the 
corner  of  Wooster  and  Grand-streets,  for  a  length  of  time 
without  any  apparent  effect.  The  water  of  this  well  is  of 
the  purest  character,  and  numbers  pass  other  wells  that  were 
before  considered  good,  to  obtain  water  at  this.  These  mea- 
dows extended  nearly  to  the  river,  and  large  springs  were  there 
found,  also,  as  far  up  as  above  Spring-6treet ;  and  I  am  inform- 
ed by  an  individual  of  undoubted  veracity,  who  resided  near 
the  intersection  of  Spring  and  Greenwich-streets,  and  still 
lives  there,  that  before  the  commencement  of  improvements  in 
that  neighbourhood,  on  an  adjoining  lot,  a  spring  issued  from 
the  banks  of  the  meadows,  the  water  of  which  was  of  such  su- 
perior quality  that  the  owner  used  to  sell  it  at  a  penny  a  pailful, 
and  that  it  was  a  great  resort  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  lower 
part  of  the  city,  to  drink  of  its  waters.  He  further  informed 
me,  that  it  was  in  consequence  of  the  abundance  of  the  springs, 
and  the  superior  quality  of  the  water,  that  the  name  of  the 
street  was  changed  from  Brennen  to  Spring. 

The  well,  in  which  the  young  lady  was  drowned,  which 
caused  so  much  excitement  a  number  of  years  since,  was  near 
the  intersection  of  Wooster  and  Spring-streets,  and  its  waters 
were  considered  of  a  very  excellent  quality. 

I  am  also  informed,  by  an  old  citizen,  who  owns  property  in 
Spring-street,  that  where  Thompson-street  now  is,  before  it 
was  regulated,  large  springs  existed  between  Broome  and 
Bpring-streets.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  but  that  as  great  a 
quantity  might  be  procured  from  these  meadows,  as  from  the 
Collect,  but  I  shall  set  down  at  half,  viz  :  1,500,000,  a  supply 
for  68,181  inhabitants. 

If  an  objection  should  be  raised  which  has  often  been  palm- 
ed off,  that  these  waters  are  all  obtained  from  the  same  springs, 
I  shall  only  interpose  one  argument  against  it  in  this  place, 
and  leave  the  remainder  to  subsequent  examination,  when  the 
whole  subject  is  before  the  public. 

That  the  high  level  of  the  rock  which  passes  under  our 
Island  is  on  the  high  grounds  extending  from  the  Battery,  on 
Broadway  to  Thirteenth-street,  and  so  on  in  the  centre  of  the 


14 


island,  no  doubt  exists,  and  its  declivity  is  generally  east  and 
west,  with  spurs  rising  in  different  places,  like  small  hillocks 
on  the  surface  of  the  soil.  This  probably  separates  the  waters 
that  supply  the  Collect  from  those  of  Lispenard's  meadow. — 
Besides  the  beds  of  all  ponds  are  formed  of  what  may  be  term- 
ed packed  earth,  that  is,  a  stratum  so  nicely  and  compactly 
compressed  as  to  be  impervious  to  water.  This,  although  of- 
ten of  no  great  thickness,  yet  resting  on  the  natural  earth, 
however  loose,  is  a  perfect  security  against  the  waste  of  wa- 
ters, that  nature  had  designed  should  be  there  congregated. 

It  is  not  unfrequeut  that  the  earth,  under  this  layer,  and 
around  the  ponds,  is  of  the  loosest  character.  An  instance 
occurred  a  few  years  since,  where  a  person,  who  owned  a  mill 
near  a  pond  in  the  north  part  of  New-Hampshire,  which  was 
situated  on  high  ground,  and  being  scant  of  water  (in  a  dry 
time,)  his  neighbours,  without  his  knowledge,  in  order  as 
they  believed,  to  do  him  a  favour,  undertook  to  lower  the  chan- 
nel near  its  mouth  ;  after  digging  only  a  few  hours,  having 
broken  through  the  bed  of  the  pond,  the  water  swept  away  the 
loose  sand  on  which  it  lay,  undermining  the  pond,  and  the 
whole  of  its  waters  rushing  like  a  mighty  torrent,  carried  de- 
struction in  their  course,  till  they  arrived  on  level  ground,  and 
buried  a  large  number  of  acres  of  fertile  land  to  a  considerable 
depth. 

Through  these  beds  no  cavities  exist,  except  where  the 
springs  rise,  and  only  of  the  dimensions  necessary  for  them  to 
cast  off  their  waters,  otherwise,  the  waters  would  not  be  re- 
tained in  their  place.     Springs  have  their  channels  defined  as. 
well  in,  as  above  the  earth,  and  any  person  conversant  with 
deep  excavating,  cannot  but  have  seen  them  forcing  them- 
selves up  through  the  hard  pan,  whenever  met  ;   it  there- 
fore follows,  that  in  the  beds  of  these  ponds,  which  covered  a 
surface  of  more  than  one  hundred  acres,  numberless  springs 
have  their  separate  outlets  from  the  rock,  their  separate  chan- 
nels, and  find  a  separate  opening  through  the  beds  of  the  ponds. 
It  would  be  an  anomaly  in  nature,  that  a  spring  thrown  with 
a  rapid  force  from  a  mountain  reservoir,  the  moment  it  met  the 
earth,  spreads  off  in  every  direction.    As  well  might  a  person 
contend  that  because  blood  flows  from  a  flesh  wound,  an  artery 
or  vein  was  severed.    Thu  internal  *vater  courses  are  to  the 


15 


earth,  what  the  vein9  and  arteries  are  to  the  human  system, 
and  although  in  both  cases  the  fluid  penetrates  the  whole  body, 
giving  life  and  freshness,  yet  it  is  only  when  an  incision  it 
made  that  a  current  is  created. 

Continuing  northerly  on  the  Island,  we  come  to  the  southern 
extremity  of  another  tract  of  moist  springy  ground,  near  the 
intersection  of  Bleecker  and  Carmine-streets  ;  this  continues  a 
northerly  direction,  following  a  line  nearly  parallel  to  Broad- 
way for  more  than  a  mile  ;  a  brook  formerly  run  through  it, 
and  numerous  springs  were  around  it.  It  is  on  the  lower  part 
of  this  tract  that  the  Corporation  have  recently  sunk  a  well  as 
a  tributary  supply  to  the  Thirteenth-street  reservoir.  This 
well  is  only  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet  deep,  and  sixteen  feet  di- 
ameter. 

'While  examining  these  works  I  was  informed  by  a  citizen, 
that  he  had  a  well  about  two  hundred  feet  from  this,  where  he 
often  sold  to  the  water  carters  eighty  casks  a  day.  It  is  the 
section  of  the  City  forming  the  west  line  of  this  tract,  and  be- 
tween that  and  the  river,  that  furnishes  all  the  water  sold  in  the 
lower  parts  of  the  city,  the  whole  area  of  its  surface  not  exceed- 
ing a  square  mile. 

The  springs  which  supply  these  wells  are  no  doubt  the  same 
that  empty  their  waters  into  this  valley,  and  surrounded  as  it  is 
on  half  its  circumference  by  the  rocks  rising  to,  or  near  the 
surface,  they  undoubtedly  find  their  entrance  through  its  stra- 
tum. Knapp's  well  is  on  this  tract,  the  good  quality  of  its  wa- 
ter is  so  well  established  as  to  need  no  comment.  A  little 
above  this  well,  at  about  half  tide,  a  spring  may  be  seen  throw- 
ing its  waters  up  through  the  bed  of  the  river,  in  great  profusion 
for  thirty  feet  in  length.  Mr.  G.  Richards  procured  Mr.  Dis- 
brow,  to  sink  a  shaft  for  him  at  his  Distillery,  corner  of  Perry 
and  Factory-streets,  within  the  distance  of  sixty  rods  of  the 
well  sunk  by  the  Corporation,  above  mentioned  ;  having  pro- 
ceeded seventy  feet  he  came  to  the  rock,  and  continued  in  it 
one  hundred  and  thirty  feet,  found  plenty  of  water  of  the 
purest  kind,  and  although  the  boring  is  only  two  and  a  half 
inches  diameter,  yet  it  throws  up  a  greater  quantity  than  is 
necessary  for  the  supply  of  his  extensive  works. 

Mr.  Disbrow  also  sunk  another  shaft  on  the  north  western 
side  of  this  tract,  for  Mr.  Underwood,  near  Sixteenth-street. 


16 


Here  the  depth  of  soil  was  only  twenty  feet,  and  one  hundred 
in  the  rock.  The  water  in  this  shaft  is  of  the  purest  charac- 
ter, and  as  soft  as  any  spring  water  whatever.  Large  quanti- 
ties from  this  shaft  are  carried  down  town,  the  casks  labelled 
M  Underwood's  rock  water."  One  of  the  largest  Hotel's  receives 
all  its  supplies  from  it,  amounting  to  several  casks  a  day  ; — 
a  large  washing  establishment  is  also  carried  on,  the  whole  wa- 
ter for  which  is  procured  from  it  ; — this  is  only  two  and  a  half 
incli  bore. 

In  Col.  Clinton's  report,  p.  244,  the  water  sold  annually  was 
estimated  at  $273,750,  equal  to  an  investment  of  a  capital  of 
$5,475,000,  and  the  consumption  is  annually  increasing.  This 
enormous  tax  is  levied  on  a  small  portion  of  our  citizens,  and 
not  one  hundredth  part  derive  any  benefit  from  it,  when  it  is 
well  known  if  shafts  were  sunk  in  any  part  of  the  city,  and 
continued  to  a  sufficient  depth,  water  equally  pure  might  be  ob- 
tained. In  another  part  of  this  work  I  shall  give  a  diagram  of 
the  formation  of  the  rock  under  our  Island,  which  has  been 
kindly  furnished  me  by  an  experienced  Engineer,  whose  oppor- 
tunities for  forming  correct  conclusions,  and  whose  critical  en- 
quiries and  practical  experiments,  entitle  him  to  the  fullest 
confidence. 

Further  up,  where  the  Episcopal  Theological  Seminary 
now  stands,  was  another  large  marshy,  springy  tract  setting 
up  into  the  Island  ;  and  passing  from  this  over  a  high  ground, 
formerly  the  residence  of  Bishop  Moore,  we  fall  into  a  valley 
where  were  formerly  the  French  Tan  Yards,  and  now  the 
Chemical  Works.  In  this  valley  a  creek  set  up  nearly  to  the 
centre  of  the  Island  ;  this  affords  equal  demons  trations  of 
abundant  supplies,  as  the  others  that  have  been  particularly  de- 
scribed. 

The  three  last  mentioned  outlets  of  springs  on  this  side  of 
the  Island,  all  diverge  from  near  the  same  point  in  its  centre, 
at  its  summit  level ;  and  on  the  east  side  others  pass  off  in  the 
opposite  direction,  and  fall  into  the  East  River  above,  and  at 
Kip's  Bay.  In  one  of  these,  sunfish  pond  is  located,  and  from 
the  waters  of  which,  in  the  early  history  of  the  city,  water  pow- 
er was  obtained.  I  do  not  conceive  it  necessary  to  go  into 
details  on  either  or  any  of  supplies,  above  where  the  present 
population  extends.    They  continue  in  nearly  similar  distances 


17 


io  the  northern  boundaries  of  the  Island,  and  on  both  sides  with 
similar  aspects,  and  probably  affording  equal  facilities  for  abun- 
dant supplies,  when  extended  population  shall  require  them. 
The  before  mentioned  springs  on  the  Sixth  Avenue,  at  the 
Theological  Seminary,  and  at  the  French  Tan  Yards  on  this 
side  the  Island,  and  those  on  the  other  that  fall  into  the  East 
River,  have  their  rise,  near  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum. 
Here  Mr.  Disbrow  sunk  a  shaft.  The  rock  forming  the  sur- 
face, was  perforated  112  feet,  two  and  a  half  inch  bore,  and  the 
water  rose  to  within  eighteen  feet  of  the  top,  of  a  good  quality 
and  abundant  supply.  As  I  intend  to  limit  my  estimates  to 
moderate  bounds,  I  shall  set  down  the  waters  to  be  obtained  from 
these  three  points,  viz.  at  the  Sixth  Avenue,  the  Theological 
Seminary,  and  French  Tan  Yards,  at  3,000,000  gallons,  a  sup- 
ply for  139,392  inhabitants. 

From  Kip's  Bay,  following  down  the  eastern  side,  we 
come  to  the  extensive  marshy  ground  near  the  Dry  Dock.  The 
improvements  on  these  grounds  were  a  long  time  retarded, 
from  the  little  prospect  of  procuring  good  water,  until  Mr. 
Samuel  Fickett,  employed  Mr.  Disbrow  to  sink  a  shaft  for  him, 
at  the  corner  Fifth-street  and  Avenue  D. 

The  result  of  this  experiment  established  the  fact,  that  water 
of  the  purest  quality  might  easily  be  obtained.  In  the  progress 
of  the  work  similar  results  presented  themselves  to  those  on 
Lespenard's  Meadows,  with  this  addition  :  in  this  perforation 
he  continued  the  work  till  he  struck  the  surface  of  the  rock — 
within  a  few  feet  of  it,  he  came  to  a  layer  of  earth,  composed 
of  sand  and  gravel,  which  appeared  to  be  designed  by  nature 
as  a  filterer,  to  separate  the  foreign  substances  contained  in 
the  water  which  might  be  injurious  to  the  natural  purity  of  it. 
This  provision  nature  has  supplied  over  all  the  surface  of  the 
rock,  where  springs  rise  from  its  bed.  Several  other  shafts 
have  been  sunk  on  this  ground,  and  at  other  places,  all  confirm- 
ing the  positions  here  advanced.  I  shall  name  only  one  more. 
A  shaft  sunk  for  Mr.  Allaire,  at  the  foot  of  Cherry-street,  near 
Williamsburg  Ferry.  This  is  only  between  seventy  and  eighty 
feet  deep,  does  not  extend  to  the  rock,  the  water  of  good  qual- 
ity ;  his  works  are  all  the  time  in  operation,  the  pump  is  kept 
in  continual  motion,  and  a  stream  constantly  flowing  off,  not 
being  required  for  use. 

3 


18 


Although  my  opinion  is,  that  an  equal  supply  may  be  obtain- 
ed from  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Island,  as  from  the  western, 
yet  I  shall  set  it  down  at  half  the  quantity.  I  shall  set  down 
the  whole  supply  that  may  be  obtained  from  all  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  Island,  from  Kip's  Bay  to  the  Battery,  at  3,750,000 
gallons  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  calculation  therefore,  that  I 
lay  before  my  fellow  citizens  and  am  fully  prepared  to  defend, 
is,  that  the  internal  supplies  that  may  be  obtained,  are  as  fol- 
lows : 

From  the  Collect,  3,000,000  gallons, 

Lespenard's  Meadows,  1,500,000 

The  Valley  above  Bleecker-st. 
and  above  that  to  the  Chem- 
ical Works,  3,000,000 

and  on  the  eastern  slope,  3,750,000 

11,250,000  for  the 
whole,  equal  to  twenty-two  gallons  per  twenty-four  hours,  for 
506,818  inhabitants,  or  for  33,787  in  each  Ward,  for  fifteen 
Wards. 

I  am  well  aware  that  these  statements  will  startle  my  fellow 
citizens,  and  I  am  prepared  to  meet  such  an  event.  The  pub- 
lic mind  has  been  studiously,  though  guardedly,  guided  in  ano- 
ther direction,  and  not  even  allowed  to  pause  at  home  on  the 
subject.    Our  citizens 

"  Have  learned  on  credit,  and  on  trust  believed." 

While  the  public  mind  has  been  busied  for  more  than  thirty 
years  in  examining  reports  of  able  engineers,  on  the  supplies 
of  foreign  water,  containing  careful  guages  of  streams,  and 
showing  the  amount  of  supplies  from  them,  and  declarations 
that  these  are  produced  from  pure  springs. 

I  find  but  one  document  referred  to  in  the  report  of  the  Water 
Commissioners  relating  to  the  purity  of  the  internal  supplies, 
p.  3G7,  doc.  36.  A.  communication  was  presented  to  the  Common 
Council,  by  a  Committee  of  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History, 
1831,  answering  certain  queries  proposed  to  that  Institution,  on 
the  practicability  of  supplying  the  city  with  good  water,  within 
its  own  limits.    As  I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  a  copy  of 


19 


that  document,  I  take  the  conclusion  set  forth  by  the  Commis- 
sioners, as  good  authority  for  what  it  contains.  They  say,  p. 
368,  the  Committee  arrive  at  the  conclusion,  "  that  the  water 
obtained  from  the  wells  in  this  city,  is  derived  wholly,  and  ex- 
clusively from  the  atmosphere,  either  in  the  shape  of  rain,  hail, 
or  snow ;  that  this  is  first  absorbed  by  the  sand,  or  earth,  through 
which  it  descends,  unlil  it  reaches  the  rock  on  which  the  Island 
rests,  or  until  it  saturates  the  earth  and  can  make  no  further 
progress,"  that  by  44  numerous  observations"  they  have  "  cal- 
culated" "the  annual  fall  of  water  at  thirty-six  inches,"  that 
they  cannot  "  accurately  estimate  how  much"  allowance  must 
be  made  for  evaporation,  and  the  quantity  carried  off  over  the 
paved  streets  and  other  outlets  to  the  river."  They  then  give 
an  analysis  of  the  water  at  "  fifty-six,"  "  thirty-six,"  and  "  thir- 
ty-four grains  of  foreign  matter  to  the  gallon,"  and  "  state  as 
their  unanimous  opinion,"  that  no  adequate  supply  of  good  and 
wholesome  water  can  be  obtained  on  this  Island,  for  the  wants 
of  a  large  and  rapidly  increasing  eity  like  New-York. 

I  confess  myself  at  a  loss  how  to  meet  this  objection,  origi- 
nating from  such  high  authority.  Are  the  citizens  of  New- 
York  prepared  to  credit  this  novel  doctrine,  that  all  the  water 
we  procure  from  our  wells,  is  derived  from  "  snow,  hail,  or 
rain  ?"  Will  they  lock  up  their  senses  to  what  is  every  day  ap- 
parent to  their  vision  ? — the  waters  rising  from  the  springs,  on 
the  simple  declarations  of  this  learned  committee,  that  it  is  not 
the  fact  that  they  do  rise.  Can  they  be  made  io  believe  that  the 
million  of  gallons  thrown  up  in  twenty-four  hours  from  a  well 
thirty  feet  deep,  at  the  Manhattan  Works,  is  produced  from 
this  "rain,  hail,  or  snow,"  having  been  first  "absorbed  "  by  the 
sand,  or  earth  around  it  ?  Are  the  waters  in  the  Bleecker-st. 
shaft,  which  is  sunk  forty-two  feet  before  it  reaches  the  rock, 
and  then  four  hundred  feet  in  it,  an  iron  shaft  interposing  the 
introduction  of  any  of  this  "  absorbed"  water,  and  the  water  ris- 
ing to  within  thirty  feet  of  the  surfaee,  affording  a  supply  of 
120,000  gallons  in  twenty-four  hours,  any  affinity,  or,  are  they 
affected  by  the  rain  or  snow  that  falls  on  the  surface  of  the 
Island  ;  the  happy  millenian  days  of  unlimited  credulity,  I 
trust,  are  not  so  near  at  hand,  as  to  indulge  a  belief  that  such 
would  be  the  case,  and  yet  our  Honourable  Water  Commis- 


20 


sioners,  have  introduced  this  as  their  only  evidence  against  the 
purity  of  the  internal  supplies. 

I  take  it  for  granted,  they  had  fully  investigated  the  subject, 
and  if  there  had  been  any  other  objections,  they  would  have 
been  submitted.  It  certainly  was  the  duty  of  the  Commission- 
ers so  to  do,  and  as  they  have  not,  I  shall  believe  none  others 
presented  themselves.  I  believe,  this  futile  attempt,  for  so  I 
must  consider  it,  was  intended  in  the  onset  to  divert  the  atten- 
tion of  the  public  from  the  enquiry  whether  we  could  be  sup- 
plied from  internal  sources  or  not,  and  make  them  the  more 
readily  submit  to  the  unreasonable  delay,  and  enormous  ex- 
pense attendant  on  the  introduction  of  foreign  water — a  more 
convincing  argument  in  favour  of  the  feasibility  of  procuring 
internal  supplies,  than  the  facts  I  have  here  laid  before  my  fel- 
low-citizens, or  any  arguments  I  may  use  to  convince  them  of 
their  existence.  This  opinion,  I  think,  I  shall  fully  establish, 
in  treating  on  their  estimated  expense  of  procuring  it. 

Another  remark  I  consider  important  to  introduce,  and  I 
shall  then  leave  this  part  of  my  subject  to  public  scrutiny.  If 
I  have  succeeded  in  establishing  the  fact  of  the  existence  of 
numberless  springs  that  discover  their  outlets  and  throw  off 
their  waters  to  supply  the  Island  ;  another  is  equally  clear. 
If  the  internal  structure  of  the  earth  were  visible  to  the  eye, 
numberless  veins  of  water,  of  all  dimensions,  would  be  discovered 
coursing  through  its  body,  destined  to  refrigerate  the  soil,  and 
slake  the  thirst  of  the  animal  creation  of  some  distant  country. 
These  are  always  discovered,  by  digging,  in  all  parts  of  our 
country,  some  nearer  the  surface,  some  at  greater  depths,  and 
no  doubt  exists  that  thousands  of  them  are  now  llowing  under 
our  Island.  In  corroboration  of  which,  I  give  the  following  de- 
scription of  a  stream  of  water,  flowing  in  the  bottom  of  Ball's 
Cave,  in  Scoharie  Co.  N.  Y.  extracted  from  44  Silliman's 
American  Journal  of  Science."  After  describing  their  descent 
eighty  feet  perpendicular,  and  the  same  distance  in  an  oblique 
manner,  they  came  to  **  a  small  stream  of  pure  limpid  water, 
running  in  a  southerly  direction"  on  its  bottom  ;  having  fol- 
lowed it  over  one  hundred  feet,  their  "  progress  was  checked 
by  a  considerable  body  of  water,  into  which  the  brook  entered. 

Mr.  Gebhard,  Dr.  Foster  and  Mr.  Bonny,  having  procured  a 
boat,  renewed  the  investigation,  which  they  describe  as  follows. 


21 


"  Fixing  a  light  in  the  prow,  they  commenced  their  voyage,  by 
passing  through  an  arched  passage  in  the  rock,  so  low  as  not 
to  admit  their  standing  erect  in  the  boat.  Having  proceeded 
about  fifty  feet  in  a  southerly  direction,  they  altered  their 
course  to  the  leA,  round  an  angle  in  the  rocky  passage,  and 
found  themselves  in  water,  about  thirty  feet  in  depth,  and  so 
limpid  that  the  smallest  object  might  be  seen  at  the  bottom." 
They  thus  proceeded  about  three  hundred  feet,  when  they  ar- 
rived at  a  rugged  shelving  ascent  on  the  right  shore  of  the 
lake,  and  beneath  which  its  waters  disappeared.  A  subsequent 
examination  from  this  point,  is  thus  described,  after  a  few  feet 
in  a  passage,  in  which  the  navigator  was  obliged  to  assume  a 
recumbent  posture,  "  he  proceeded  a  quarter  of  a  mile." — 
**  Here  the  water  was  thirty  feet  deep  ;"  proceeding  on,  "  he 
encountered  a  dam  of  calcerous  tufa,  over  which  the  water  broke 
with  a  slight  ripple.  In  this  manner  he  passed  fourteen  of  these 
dams,  which  varied  in  heighth  from  two  to  twelve  inches  above 
the  surface  of  the  water." 

However,  the  internal  fountains  that  contain  these  waters,  are 
formed  where  they  may  be  located,  or  by  what  laws  governed, 
one  fact  is  fully  established,  that  whenever  a  vein  is  struck  in  ex- 
cavating,thewateris  immediately  diverted  from  its  natural  course, 
and  if  entirely  severed,  and  a  pipe  inserted,  it  rises  to  a  heighth 
corresponding  with  its  outlet.  A  supply  may  in  all  such  cases 
be  obtained,  equal  to  the  amount  of  its  volume,  and  the  extent 
and  elevation  of  its  source.  The  subtilty  of  this  fluid  is  so  fine, 
and  its  gravity  so  great,  that  where  the  spring  issues  with  great 
force,  it  affords  a  large  supply,  although  its  channel  be  quite 
small ;  a  considerable  brook  is  often  seen  flowing  from  a  vein 
apparently  very  small.  No  possibility  exists  of  exhausting 
these  supplies,  unless  the  fountains  that  furnish  their  waters 
are  broken  up  ;  and  in  proportion  as  you  force  the  water  from 
them,  their  currents  will  be  accelerated  and  the  quantity  increas- 
ed. Millions  of  gallons  no  doubt  pass  in  this  manner  under 
our  Island,  that  may  be  rendered  subservient  to  our  use. 

The  nondescript  construction  of  the  Thirteenth-street  well, 
forms  no  objection  to  this  theory.  I  give  the  Water  Com- 
missioner's description,  p.  369,  doc.  36.  "  This  well  is  sev- 
enteen feet  diameter,  and  one  hundred  and  thirteen  feet  in 


22 


depth,  with  three  horizontal  excavations  of  four  feet  in  width, 
and  six  feet  in  heighth,  and  commencing  twelve  feet  above  the 
bottom  of  the  well  in  the  rock,  two  of  them  75  feet,  and  one  of 
them  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  in  length."  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know 
in  what  system  of  Geology  the  projection  of  this  plan  of  increas- 
ing "the  quantity  of  water''  on  elevated  ground  by  side  cutting, 
is  to  be  found.  I  am  inclined  to  think  the  theory  is  original 
with  the  projectors,  and  for  which  they  might  with  the  greatest 
safety  obtain  a  patent. 

It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Bleecker-street  well  is  four 
hundred  and  forty-two  feet  deep,  about  ten  blocks  in  a  southerly 
direction  from  this,  and  throws  up  with  a  seven  inch  bore,  1 20,000 
gallons  in  twenty-four  hours.  Now  if  these  "horizontal"  ex- 
cavations had  been  perpendicular,  as  common  sense  would  have 
dictated,  the  well  would  have  been  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  feet  deep,  and  would  in  all  probability  have  afforded  large 
supplies. 

By  the  deep  cuttings  on  the  Harlem  Rail-Road,  some  of  the 
supplies  of  these  "  horizontal  excavations  "  have  been  cut  off, 
which  otherwise  would  not  have  occurred.  And  we  are  imform- 
p.  369,  that  after  excavating  them,  the  water  "proved  hard,"  and 
appeared  strongly  impregnated  with  some  mineral  substance, 
which  unfitted  it  for  drink  or  culinar>  purposes;"  a  circumstance 
which  frequently  occurs  in  the  upper  stratas  of  the  rock,  but 
seldom  in  deep  perforations;  The  Commissioners  further  say, 
that  they  were  assured  by  several  members  of  the  Corporation 
that  before  excavating  the  horizontal  openings,  "the  water  was 
as  pure  and  soft  as  that  which  descends  from  the  clouds." 

Some  invisible  influence  must  have  directed  this  "experiment." 
I  am  unwilling  to  allow  a  plea  of  ignorance  to  be  e'ntered  in 
this  case,  I  consider  the  intelligence  of  the  parties  concerned  of 
too  high  an  order  even  to  attempt  its  introduction. 

I  ask  my  fellow  citizens  whether  here,  coupled  as  it  is  with 
all  that  has  been  before  stated,  there  is  not  prima  facia  evi- 
dence of  a  studious  attempt,  to  keep  in  obscurity  the  practicabili- 
ty of  procuring  internal  supplies  of  water  ;  and  as  the  expense 
of  these  excavations  is  added  into  the  gross  amount  of  cost  of 
supplies  for  the  city,  whether  it  was  not  intended  to  produce  a 
twofold  effect.  I  have  known  such  cuts  to  have  been  made  on 
the  declivity  of  hills,  to  meet  springs  at  greater  elevations,  that 


23 


have  their  outlets  at  the  base.  Water,  I  know,  may  be  forced  in 
an  ascendant  direction  by  machinery  ;  but  I  cannot  believe  that 
there  is  any  affinity  between  a  deep  spring  and  an  excavation  on 
a  greater  altitude  in  a  rock  that  could  possibly  disturb  its 
gravity. 

I  will  ask  the  indulgence  of  my  fellow  citizens,  while  I  meet 
one  more  of  the  astounding  objections  of  the  Commissioners. 

In  p.  371,  doc.  36,  They  say,  "  the  great  space  of  rock  which 
has  been  penetrated  in  excavating  the  Thirteenth-street  well, 
compared  with  that  of  Bleecker-street,  and  the  disparity  in  the 
quantity  of  water  furnished  by  the  former,  when  compared  with 
the  latter,  shows  conclusively  that  the  same  success  which  has 
resulted  from  the  Coring  at  Bleecker-street,  cannot  be  expected 
to  follow  every  similar  operation,  otherwise  the  supply  at  Thir- 
teenth-street ought  to  have  been  immeasurably  greater,  instead 
of  so  much  less  than  that  at  Bleecker-street." 

I  hardly  know  whether  to  apply  the  term  logic  or  sophistry 
to  the  foregoing  reasoning.    If  the  former,  my  feeble  senses 
do  not  comprehend  it.    If  the  latter,  I  fear  I  shall  be  charged 
with  treating  the  authors  uncourteously.    I  conceive  it  better, 
therefore,  to  give  my  understanding  of  the  inference  drawn,  and 
leave  to  others  to  determine  the  point  at  issue.    The  position 
laid  down,  is,  that  the  probability  of  obtaining  supplies  of 
water,  depends  on  "  the  great  space  of  rock  which  has  been 
penetrated,"  without  any  regard  to  the  depth  of  the  perforation, 
and  as  the  Bleecker-street  shaft,  442  feet  deep,  contains  only 
"  1,154  gallons,"  and  the  Thirteenth-street  well,  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  feet  deep,  contains  "175,110  gallons,"  the  result 
should  have  been  in  the  opinion  of  the  Commissioners,  that  the 
supply  ought  to  "  have  been  immeasurably  greater,"  and  because 
it  was  "so  muchless,"  similar  results  to  that  at  Bleecker-st  might 
"not  be  expected  to  follow  every  similar  operation."  It  turns  out 
however,  that  the  perforation  of  Mr.  Disbrow,  since  the  date  of 
their  reports,  commencing  at  the  bottom  of  Thirteenth-street 
well,  and  only  two  and  a  half  inch  bore,  and  one  hundred  feet 
deep,  nearly  doubled  the  supply,  although  very  little  was  added 
to  the  space.    By  the  same  parity  of  reasoning.  I  must  conclude 
that  the  deep  cutting  in  the  rock  at  Murray  Hill,  for  the  Harlem 
Rail-Road,  **  should  have  produced  immeasurably  greater " 
quantities  than  at  the  Thirteenth-street  well,  and  have  afford- 


24 


ed  a  sufficient  supply  for  the  whole  city,  the  proportion  of  ex- 
cavation to  supply,  being  about  the  same  as  above  specified. 

In  sober  earnest,  I  consider  this  objection  of  such  a  character 
as  to  place  the  Commissioners  in  no  enviable  position,  for  can- 
did and  fair  conduct  in  laying  the  important  subject  committed 
to  their  investigation  before  the  public,  and  affords  conclusive 
testimony  to  my  mind,  that  the  knowledge  they  possess  of  the 
complete  success  of  the  experiment  of  the  Manhattan  Compa- 
ny at  Bleecker-street,  in  testing  the  practicability  of  procuring 
internal  supplies,  both  as  to  quantity  and  quality,  must  be  fritter- 
ed away  by  piecemeal,  or  the  citizens  will  never  submit  to  the 
hazard,  or  to  the  enormous  expense  of  introducing  the  waters 
of  theCroton. 


Actual  expense  of  procuring  an  internal  supply  of  Water, 
compared  with  the  estimate  of  the  Water  Commissioners. 

I  shall  now  examine  the  calculations  and  estimates  of  procur- 
ing water  on  the  Island.  I  shall  take  the  actual  expense  of  the 
Thirteenth-street  well,  as  set  down  in  Col.  Clinton's  report,  p. 
198,  doc.  61,  which  he  says  he  received  from  Mr.  Wenman, 
and  which  amounts  to  $42,233.  It  appears  that  the  Water 
Commissioners  have  made  an  addition  to  this  of  815,739,  in 
their  report.  I  have  made  enquiries,  but  could  hear  of  no  ad- 
ditional works  between  the  dates  of  their  reports.  The  per- 
foration by  Mr.  Disbrow  was  made  after  the  date  of  the  Water 
Commissioner's  report. 

Eleven  lots  of  ground  on  what  the  work  stands,  $12,250 
Tank  $4,200,  building  for  tank,  $5,041  } 

Foundation  of  building  and  wc  11,  1,377}  15,033 

Foundation  and  tank  including  arching,  4,415  ) 
Excavating  well  and  passages,  9,000 
Steam  Engine  and  fixtures,  5,250 
Building  over  Steam  Engine,  700 


842,233. 

This  appears  to  be  the  expense  of  the  well,  including  the 


25 


horizontal  shafts.  No  additions  were  afterwards  made  until 
the  date  of  the  Water  Commissioners  report. 

How  they  should  have  increased  the  cost  815,739,  they  can 
best  explain.  Taking  this  as  the  basis,  they  introduce  the  fol- 
lowing estimate  on  fourteen  Wards,  deducting  the  twelfth  from 
the  calculation.  They  further  say,  "  that  it  will  require  three 
such  wells  as  that  on  Bleecker-street  to  supply"  each  Ward,  for- 
ty-two in  all,  with  three  Steam  Engines  in  constant  operation." 

And  that  "  in  a  financial  view,  taking  the  Corporation  well 
as  a  data,  it  will  appear  that  the  annual  expense  to  the  City  by 
the  project  of  deep  boring  for  water,  will  be  much  greater  than 
for  bringing  it  from  a  distant  source." 

In  Col.  Clinton's  report  from  the  same  authority,  Mr.  Wen- 
man  set  down  also  in  items,  the  "  annual  expense  of  keeping 
the  above  works  in  repair  and  in  operation,  p.  199,  amounts 
to  only  83,165.  In  the  improved  edition,  also  in  items,  the  Wa- 
ter Commissioners  place  it  at  85,569,90,.  an  improvement  in  es- 
timation of  82,404,90. 

They  go  on  to  state,  that  "forty-two  wells,  including  the  land, 
engine,  reservoir,  &c.  will  amount  to  $2,518,825 

The  interest  on  this  sum  annually  at  five  per  cent, 
will  amount  to  125,941,00 

The  annual  expense  of  working  an  engine  of  12 
horse  power  night  and  day,  is  estimated  as  follows  : 

Forty- two  bushels  of  coal  per  day,  at  twenty  one 
cents,  for  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days,  3,219,30 

Two  Engineers  and  two  Assistants  at  six 
dollars  per  day,  2,119,00 

Oil,  Tallow,  <fcc.  at  fourteen  cents  per  day,  51,10 

Wear  and  tear  of  machinery  at  thirty  cents 
per  day,  109,50 


Annual  expense  of  one  engine,  $5,569,90 
Annual  expense  of  forty-two  engines  will  be  223,935 
And  the  interest  on  Capital  above,  125,941 


359,876,00 

Further,  they  say,  "assuming  the  sum  of  five  millions  of  dol- 
lars as  the  cost  of  bringing  the  Croton  waters  to  the  city,  and 
the  interest  on  this  sum,  at  five  per  cent,  will  amount  to  8250,- 

4 


26 


000,  which  is  $109,876  less,  annually,  than  it  will  cost  to  raise 
the  water  by  machinery,  if  the  data  we  have  assumed  be  correct.1* 
Why  it  is,  that  the  Commissioners  have  made  such  a  minute 
estimate  "of  the  annual  expense  of  keeping  the  works  in  repair 
and  operation/'  when  treating  on  internal  supplies,  and  are  to- 
tally silent  on  the  subject,  when  the  expensive  work  on  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  forty  miles  is  to  be  constructed,  I  place  at  present 
to  the  account  of  omission,  of  which  I  shall  more  fully  treat 
hereafter. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  make  an  estimate  of  the  actual  expense 

of  supplying  the  city  by  sinking  shafts. 

The  result  of  digging  the  welL,  near  Jefferson  Market,  Sixth 
Avenue,  affords  certain  data  on  this  subject,  of  an  important  na- 
ture. I  have  already  described  the  well  :  the  pumps  are  seven 
inches  diameter.  The  engine  eight  horse  power  cost  $950, — The 
whole  work  will  cover  a  plot  of  ground  25  by  20  feet.  When 
I  examined  it  the  engineer  informed  me,  that  he,  in  the  day  time, 
and  another  in  the  night,  had  worked  it  constantly  night  and 
day  for  nine  days,  except  the  day  time  on  Sunday,  and  that  then 
there  was  nine  feet  of  water  in  the  well.  His  opinion  was,  that 
one  pump  could  not  exhaust  it  ;  that  the  engine  possessed  con- 
siderable more  power  than  was  required  for  that  pump.  The 
well  is  about  eighty  rods  from  the  Thirteenth-street  reservoir, 
and  the  water  is  forced  into  it. 

The  fuel  used  is  the  pea  size  Lackawana  Coal,  costs  $2  per 
ton  :  half  a  ton  will  last  twenty-four  hours,  and  it  is  the  best 
that  can  be  had  for  that  purpose. 

He  also  informed  me  that  the  water  was  of  the  same  good 
quality  with  the  well  I  before  described,  as  selling  eighty  casks 
per  day,  and  that  it  had  had  no  effect  in  diminishing  the  quan- 
tity or  quality  in  the  surrounding  wells. 

The  first  use  I  shall  make  of  this  information  is,  that  it  at  once 
destroys  the  theory  that  three  reservoirs,  or  even  one  reservoir 
is  necessary  in  each  Ward.  The  water  may  be  forced  a  mile  as 
well  as  eighty  rods,  in  pipes,  unless  the  elevation  is  increased, 
and  that  will  not  be  required  in  many  instances,  or  if  it  should 
the  increase  would  be  so  small  as  not  to  affect  it. 

The  second  is,  that  instead  of  thirty-three  lots  of  ground,  in 
each  Ward,  a  part  of  only  two  of  the  three  lots  twenty  by  twen- 


27 

ty-five  feet  is  necessary,  and  that  may  be  taken  from  the  rear  ; 
and  the  whole  of  the  lot  only  where  the  reservoirs  are  located, 
will  be  required. 

The  cost  of  engine,  expense  of  fuel,  pay  to  Engineers,  &c. 
shall  all  have  their  due  consideration.  With  a  content  equal  to 
the  Thirteenth-street  reservoir,  it  would  require  twenty  one, 
instead  of  forty-two  reservoirs  ;  but  as  the  capacity  might  be 
increased  with  a  great  diminution  of  expense,  I  shall  deduct 
one  third  from  that  expense,  lessening  the  number  to  fourteen 
reservoirs,  and  adding  in  the  same  ratio  to  their  cost.  By  this 
calculation,  a  reservoir  to  contain  374,000  gallons  will  cost  $10,- 
693,25.  Fourteen  reservoirs  containing  the  same  quantity,  I 
believe  all  that  would  be  necessary,  and  of  more  public  utility, 
that  is,  in  each  Ward. 

My  estimate  for  one  Ward  will  then  stand  as  follows  : 
Three  lots  of  ground,  at  $3,000,  $9,000,00 
Sinking  three  shafts  two  hundred  feet,  each 
at  87  per  foot,  4,200,00 
One  Reservoir,  10,993,25 
Three  Steam  Engines,  $950  each.  2,850,00 
Building  for  do.  2,100,00 
Pipes  to  convey  water  to  reservoir,  1,500,00 


Making  the  whole  cost,  $30,343,75 
And  for  fourteen  Wards,  $424,805,50 — less  than  the  sum  esti- 
mated by  the  Water  Commissioners,  p.  372,  doc.  36,  $2,094, 
019,50. 

I  will  now  explain  how  this  wide  difference  between  their 
estimate  and  the  actual  expense  is  obtained.  Having  assumed 
that  these  works  cost  $57,972,  and  that  it  would  require  "  three 
such  shafts  as  that  at  Bleecker-street,"  not  three  such  wells  as 
that  at  Thirteenth-street,  they  go  on  to  estimate  the  expense  of 
each  shaft  by  the  cost  they  affix  to  the  Thirteenth-street  estab- 
lishment. At  that,  $12,250  was  paid  for  ground  ;  and,  by  their 
process,  this  would  make  it  necessary  to  pay  $36,750  for  ground 
in  one  Ward,  or  $514,300  for  fourteen  Wards.  The  well,  also, 
is  set  down  at  $9,000  ;  and,  by  the  same  mode  of  calculation,  it 
would  make  for  one  Ward,  $27,000  for  three  shafts,  when  it  is 
well  known,  that  the  average  depth  that  has  been  required  to 


28 


procure  good  water,  has  not  exceeded  150  feet,  and  that  the 
price  for  boring  and  sinking,  is  only  seven  dollars  per  foot.  I 
have  set  the  shafts  at  200  feet,  and  then  there  is  a  difference 
between  the  actual  and  estimated  cost  of  $23,800  for  one 
Ward.  By  this  geometrical  way  of  calculating,  taking  as  the 
first  term  the  cost  of  a  well  as  above  described,  and  by  trans- 
ferring its  expenses  to  sinking  a  shaft,  &,c  .,  and  then  taking  a 
number  of  series,  they  have  very  adroitly  increased  the  amount 
$2,094,019  50,  above  what  would  actually  be  required  for  four- 
teen Wards,  to  procure  the  required  quantity  of  wrater. 

Hie  addition  which  the  Commissioners  have  made  to  Mr. 
Wenman's  statement  of  the  expense  of  the  Thirteenth-street 
well,  would  alone,  in  the  fourteen  Wards,  amount  to  $661,038, 
and,  I  am  credibly  informed,  no  additions  had  been  made  to 
the  works  between  the  date  of  the  two  reports. 

Our  Commissioners  say  (p.  371,  doc.  36),  "  The  well  sunk 
by  the  Corporation  at  Thirteenth-street,  although  a  very  useful 
project,  has  been  a  very  expensive  one  to  the  City."  After 
this  concession,  to  pursue  the  course  they  have,  and  place  the 
unparallelled  false  statement  of  the  expense  of  procuring  an  in- 
ternal supply  of  water  before  the  Legislature  of  the  State  and 
their  fellow-citizens,  with  their  official  sanction,  is  an  act  which, 
to  give  it  the  most  favourable  construction,  wears  a  very  extra- 
ordinary aspect,  and  must  give  a  suspicious  character  to  the 
accuracy  of  their  statements  in  other  details  of  the  Report.  I 
leave  the  subject  with  them  and  their  fellow-citizens  to  deter- 
mine the  point  at  issue.  In  their  estimates  of  annual  expense 
of  carrying  on  the  works,  similar  exaggerations  will  be  found. 

They  estimate  for  fourteen  Wards,  the  annual  expense  at 
$233,935,  whereas,  from  the  best  information  I  have  been  able 
to  obtain,  and  placing  it  far  above  what  I  believe  it  would  re- 
quire— as  will  appear  in  another  place — it  would  not  amount 
to  more  than  $60,030;  a  difference  of  $172,899.  The  use 
they  make  of  it  is,  by  adding  it  to  the  interest  of  their  estimated 
expense,  it  might  appear  on  their  report,  at  a  much  greater 
amount  than  the  interest  of  their  required  amount  to  introduce 
the  waters  of  the  Croton,  of  the  annual  expense  for  which  they 
are  silent.  The  difference  of  their  estimates  of  annual  expense, 
and  what  it  will  actually  cost,  will  amount  to  $277,600,  and 


29 


this  they  have  obtained  by  their  resort  again  to  their  plan  of 
using  multiplication. 

In  these  estimates  I  have  followed  the  Commissioners  in  re- 
spect to  the  number  of  works  that  would  be  required  ;  though 
I  by  no  means  believe  them  to  be  necessary.  The  waters  in 
the  Collect  will  no  doubt  rise  at  or  near  the  surface.  They 
rise  at  the  corner  of  Thompson  and  Grand-streets  within  six 
or  seven  feet.  In  this  case,  with  an  elbow  from  the  top  joint 
of  the  pipe,  a  little  below  the  elevation  of  the  water  in  it,  and 
carried  in  a  horizontal  direction,  it  will  convey  all  the  waters 
in  that  shaft  to  a  receiving  reservoir  at  some  convenient  place 
below  its  level.  These  may  be  increased  to  the  extent  of  the 
supplies  at  that  point,  and  allowing  the  supplies  here  to  be 
only  2,000,000  gallons,  twice  as  much  as  could  be  obtained  at 
the  Manhattan  well,  one  engine  at  this  place  would  throw  up  the 
quantity  necessary  for  nearly  six  reservoirs.  In  this  way  they 
may  be  increased  at  other  places  as  the  population  increases, 
and  greater  quantities  are  required. 

I  have  also  allowed  three  whole  lots  of  ground,  whereas 
only  twenty  by  twenty-five  feet  will  be  required  on  two,  and 
that  may  be  taken  on  the  rear,  and  the  whole  of  one  occupied 
for  the  reservoir.  There  will  then  be  two  front  lots  of  twenty- 
five  by  eighty  feet,  which  could  readily  be  leased,  with  the  use 
of  the  engine,  for  a  sufficient  sum  to  pay  all  expenses  to  keep 
the  works  in  operation,  for  some  mechanical  purpose,  where 
water  power  is  required.  I  have  also  allowed  that  the  works 
will  have  to  be  constantly  kept  in  operation.  This  will  not  be 
the  case.  It  is  believed  that  works  as  extensive  as  is  here  con- 
templated will  throw  up  supplies  to  equal  the  consumption 
during  the  day,  except  on  extraordinary  emergencies.  A  part, 
therefore,  would  not  be  required  to  be  kept  in  operation,  only 
at  such  times.  With  a  supply  of  5,236,000  gallons  in  the  re- 
servoirs, and  with  forty-two  eight  horse  power  engines  in  ope- 
ration, no  danger  could  be  apprehended  when  extra  supplies 
were  required.  From  the  first  of  November  till  the  first  of 
April,  none  would  be  required  for  washing  the  streets,  and 
during  that  period  one  half  the  engines  in  operation  would 
afford  ample  supplies.  A  strong  argument  in  favour  of  this 
plan,  is,  that  in  case  of  any  injury  to  the  works  at  any  one  point, 


30 


it  would  not  sensibly  affect  the  supply.  It  would  immediately 
be  detected  and  quickly  repaired.  Not  so  with  a  canal  forty 
miles  in  length  :  that  would  require  constant  watchfulness  the 
whole  distance,  and  if  any  damage  occurred  which  required  ex- 
tensive repairs,  our  whole  supply  would  be  obstructed.  This 
might  be  attended  with  the  most  disastrous  consequences,  and 
the  expense  would  at  all  times  be  very  great. 

Our  Water  Commissioners  interpose  one  objection,  which, 
whether  seriously  intended  or  not,  I  will  endeavour  to  assume 
sufficient  gravity  to  place  its  formidable  features  before  the  pub- 
lic. They  say,  p.  273,  doc.*36,  "the  annoyance  to  the  neighbor- 
hood from  the  unceasing  noise,  and  clatter  of  the  machinery, 
the  constant  smoke  of  the  furnaces,  and  the  incessant  discharge 
of  steam"  would  depreciate  "the  value  of  property  for  a  dis- 
tance around  "  and  drive  "every  citizen  whose  means  would 
not  prevent  him,  to  seek  for  more  peaceful  and  comfortable 
quarters." 

Now  I  ask  in  all  sober  earnest,  what  possible  annoyance  an 
eight  horse  power  engine,  with  a  boiler  little  larger  than  a 
washer-woman's  kettle,  and  propelled  by  heat  from  anthracite 
coal,  enclosed  in  a  building,  would  be  to  a  "neighbourhood?" 
Does  any  man  of  common  sense  believe  that  these  miseries, 
magnified  by  the  microscopic  vision  of  the  Commissioners,  oc- 
casioned by  some  singular  hallucination,  will  be  felt  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  desolate  and  render  valueless,  large  portions  of  our 
city  •  We  have  them  now  in  numerous  places,  where  they  are 
useful  to  other  branches  of  business,  besides  for  smiths  and 
founderies  ;  and  yet  their  existence  is  not  known  to  the  passer- 
by. There  is  one  in  the  Tract  house,  in  Nassau-street  ;  and 
that  neighbourhood  does  not  appear  to  be  deserted.  Mr  Holt 
has  one  in  the  kitchen  of  his  large  Hotel,  and  I  believe  his 
apartments  are  well  filled  with  boarders. 

What  possible  reason  could  operate  on  the  minds  of  those 
gentlemen  to  induce  them  to  interlaid  their  report  with  such 
pigmy  objections,  and  magnify  them  to  sufficient  importance  to 
be  placed  on  the  pages  of  a  report,  to  be  laid  not  only  before 
the  public,  but  also  the  Legislature  of  the  Stute,  and  on  a  sub- 
ject too  that  is  of  the  most  vital  importance  to  the  community. 

They  say  again,  p.  371,  they  "have  no  data  by  which  to  esti- 


31 


mate  the  cost  of  the  Manhattan  well,"  Bleecker-street,  if  put 
in  a  situation  to  distribute  water,  with  engine,  reservoir,  6cc. 
similar  to  the  well  in  Thirteenth-street,  but  they  have  no  reason 
to  think  that  it  will  be  less  than  that  belonging  to  the  corpora- 
tion." 

Why  had  they  no  data  ?  The  only  reason  that  can  be  inter- 
posed is,  they  wished  none.  They  had  data  of  a  very  minute 
kind,  acquired  by  careful  surveys  from  able  Engineers,  of  a  wide 
extent  of  country.  They  had  data  such  as  it  was,  and  increas- 
ed in  a  geometrical  ratio,  of  the  cost  of  the  Thirteenth-street 
well,  and  yet  aV  this  important  point  which  they  allow  was  "  a 
very  successful  operation,"  in  "  bringing  up  a  large  supply  of 
good  water,"  they  had  not  been  able  to  furnish  the  citizens  with 
any  plan  of  the  necessary  works  or  estimated  amount  of  the 
expense. 

I  have  dwelt  longer  on  this  part  of  the  subject  than  I  intend- 
ed, because  I  believe  that  in  disabusing  public  opinion  here,  is 
suspended  considerations  of  the  deepest  interest  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  City,  not  only  now,  but  in  all  aftertime.  If  the 
quixotic  project  of  introducing  foreign  water  be  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed, our  City  will  be  burdened  with  a  debt,  the  payment  of 
which  will  be  entailed  on  future  generations,  and  the  interest 
of  the  investment  cancelled  by  a  tax  on  every  draught  of  water 
used  by  our  citizens,  poor  or  rich. — All  have  an  immediate  in- 
terest in  this  subject. — The  mechanic,  the  trader,  the  manufac- 
turer, the  labourer  ;  for  they  must  pay  in  the  shape  of  rent,  for 
all  the  water  they  use,  which  will  form  the  largest  portion  of  it. 
The  owners  of  real  estate,  for  it  is  very  questionable  whether 
the  aforesaid  classes,  the  producers  of  our  wealth,  will  long 
submit  to  have  part  of  their  earnings  converted  to  such  purpo- 
ses for  the  privilege  of  using  insipid  waters,  brought  more  than 
forty  miles,  when  it  is  a  well  established  fact  they  can  be  supplied 
from  free  wells.  At  the  ballot  boxes,  they  can  any  time  cause 
their  voices  to  be  heard,  and  then  the  burden  falls  on  the 
owners  of  real  estate.  Besides  most  of  them  have  already  paid 
for  wells,  and  many  of  these  produce  good  water,  and  probably 
will  so  continue.  Will  they  sacrifice  all  the  amount  they  have 
paid,  or  may  be  compelled  to  pay,  unless  absolute  necessity  re- 
quires it !    Individuals  whose  business  requires  large  supplies 


32 


will  not,  I  think,  pay  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  dollars  annually, 
for  what  they  can  obtain  in  perpetuity  for  five  or  six  hundred. 
Gentlemen  of  fortune  will  prefer  water,  fresh,  cool  and  limpid, 
drawn  immediately  from  springs  under  their  own  soil,  to  the 
marshy,  unpalatable  liquid  which  has  lain  a  length  of  time  in 
close  pipes,  after  having  in  the  first  place  been  transported  from 
distant  ponds  and  streams. 

This  subject  should  be  well  weighed,  and  our  corporate  au- 
thorities, should  pause  before  further  proceedings  take  place 

A  brief  examination  of  the  several  reports  of  persons  employ- 
ed to  examine  into  the  practicability  of  obtaining  a  foreign  sup- 
ply of  water  ; — also  the  report  of  D.  B.  Douglass,  Esq.  who  was 
appointed  by  the  Water  commissioners  in  1833,  to  "  make  sep- 
arate and  distinct  examination  of  the  Croton,  Sawmill,  and  Bronx 
Rivers,  together  with  their  several  tributaries,  and  to  furnish 
the  Commissioners  with  a  map  and  profile  of  the  country,"  &c. 
doc.  36. 

The  plan  of  supplying  the  City  with  foreign  water,  appears 
to  have  been  agitated  as  early  as  1798."  At  that  period,  and  for 
a  long  time  after,  no  method  was  known  of  excluding  the  sur- 
face water  by  sinking  shafts  in  low  or  marshy  grounds,  nor 
procuring  it  by  perforations  in  the  rock  on  more  elevated,  or 
even  high  summits. 

The  natural  quality  of  the  water  was  a  well  authenticated 
fact,  it  was  equal,  in  the  springs  that  found  their  outlets  in  vari- 
ous places  to  any  in  the  country.  To  the  very  borders  of  the 
low  marshy  parts  of  our  Island,  even  near  their  center,  springs 
were  known  to  throw  up  large  volumes  of  water  to  the  surface, 
and  with  such  force  as  to  repel  the  intrusion  of  the  surrounding 
impurities,  although  the  mud  was  in  some  instances  considered 
bottomless.  Insurmountable  difficulties  therefore  appeared  to 
rest  on  the  minds  of  the  gentlemen  entrusted  with  the  examina- 
tion of  the  subject,  of  ever  being  able  to  convert  to  our  use,  that 
which  it  was  evident  nature  had  abundantly  supplied,  and  con- 
sequently little  if  any  enquiry  was  set  on  foot  at  that  time  on 
the  subject,  and  all  after  proceedings  on  it  to  the  present  time, 
has  followed  in  the  beaten  path  then  pointed  out. 

The  vast  improvements  that  have  since  been  discovered  in  ev- 
ery department  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  has  entirely  changed 


33 


the  aspect  of  the  subject,  although  it  appears  to  have  effected 
no  alteration  in  the  course  of  policy  pursued.  The  improve- 
ments in  the  application  of  steam  power  had  long  since  obvi- 
ated one  part  of  the  difficulty,  but  it  was  not  till  a  later  period 
that  the  most  prominent  one,  shutting  out  the  surface  water  by 
sinking  shafts  in  low  grounds,  and  perforating  the  rock  on 
high  ground,  to  obtain  supplies,  was  demonstrated  to  be  practi- 
cable. 

The  commonly  received  opinion  of  our  most  scientific  gen- 
tlemen was,  that  it  was  inconsistent  with  the  laws  of  gravity 
for  the  waters  flowing  in  its  natural  channels,  in  the  bowels  of 
the  earth,  to  be  diverted  from  them,  and  rise  to  any  height  in 
a  perforation,  unless  their  progress  was  cut  off ;  and  that,  to 
obtain  them,  large  excavations  must  be  made  at  the  point  of 
union.  This  doctrine  was  pertinaciously  adhered  to,  till  prac- 
tical demonstration  proved  its  futility. 

As  in  various  other  important  discoveries,  so  in  this  ;  it  was 
left  to  an  individual  of  no  pretensions  to  scientific  attainment 
to  confute  these  theories  by  actual  experiment. 

Mr.  Levi  Disbrow,  a  machinist  of  this  city,  from  close  ob- 
servation, became  satisfied  of  their  fallacy  ;  and  the  more  he 
investigated  the  subject,  the  more  convinced  was  he  of  the  cer- 
tainty of  procuring  water  at  any  place  by  perforating  the  rock. 
Although  he  met  with  every  discouragement  from  the  learned 
men  with  whom  he  consulted,  yet  he  determined,  small  as 
were  his  resources,  and  few  his  adherents,  single-handed,  to 
test  his  theories  by  an  experiment.  He  accordingly  invented 
an  apparatus,  for  which  he  obtained  a  patent ;  and,  in  1823, 
entered  into  an  engagement  at  New-Brunswick,  N.  J.,  to  make 
a  perforation  on  the  high  bluffs  of  rock  on  the  banks  of  the 
Raritan — the  whole  risk  of  the  expense  to  devolve  on  him,  in 
case  of  failure.  So  little  was  his  theory  accredited,  mat  the 
faculty  of  Queen's  College,  at  that  place,  considered  it  the 
effect  of  a  visionary  mind. 

Under  all  these  discouraging  auspices,  he  perseveringly 
prosecuted  his  work  ;  and,  at  the  depth  of  about  three  hundred 
feet,  had  the  satisfaction  to  realize  his  most  sanguine  expecta- 
tions. Here  he  made  several  perforations,  only  one  of  which 
I  shall  describe. 

He  commenced  on  the  surface  of  the  rock,  about  two  hun* 

5 


34 


dred  yards  from  the  river,  and  one  hundred  feet  above  tide, 
with  an  augur  two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter.  At  the  depth 
of  about  three  hundred  feet,  he  struck  a  vein  which  rose  over 
the  top  of  the  rock  ;  and,  on  inserting  a  pipe,  it  rose  in  it,  and 
flowed  off  at  seven  feet  above  the  surface,  and  has  so  con- 
tinued ever  since  ;  affording  more  than  sufficient  supplies  for 
all  the  families,  and  a  distillery,  in  the  neighbourhood.  An- 
other of  these  was  on  the  farm  of  Mrs.  Griffiths,  who  derived 
so  much  advantage  from  it,  and  was  so  satisfied  of  its  public 
utility,  that  she  wrote,  and  caused  to  be  published,  at  the  time, 
a  pamphlet,  giving  a  particular  description  of  it. 

He  also  sunk  several  shafts  on  Newark  meadows,  between 
Jersey  City  and  Newark.  Here  the  water  flows  over  two  of 
them,  above  the  surface  of  the  meadows.  From  these  the 
water  is  received  out  of  the  rock  below  the  meadows.  His  first 
effort  in  this  city  was  in  Washington  Market,  in  1826  ;  the  re- 
sult of  which  has  been  described  in  another  part  of  this  work, 

Similar  operations  have  been  performed  by  him  in  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  and  New-Bedford  and  Boston,  Mass.,  where  com- 
plete success  has  resulted.  I  consider,  therefore,  his  theory 
to  be  too  fully  established  by  practical  results,  to  require  any 
laboured  arguments,  either  to  confute  the  former  theory,  or 
sustain  his.  Before  I  proceed  farther,  I  will  give,  from  the 
"  New-York  Observer"  of  14th  Feb.  inst.,  the  following  ex- 
tract from  the  Bull.  D'Encouragement,  Sept.,  1833  : — 

"  Water  obtained  by  boring. — Artesian  wells  have  been 
very  successfully  constructed  in  some  parts  of  France.  A 
letter  from  M.  Jaubcrt  de  Passa  to  Viscount  Hericart  de 
Thury  describes  a  bored  well,  remarkable  for  the  abundance 
of  water  it  supplies.  It  was  made  by  M.  Durand,  two  miles 
south-east  of  Perpignan." 

"  The  sound  after  penetrating  to  the  depth  of  eighty  feet, 
through  alternate  beds  of  marl  and  clay,  entered  a  bed  of  san- 
dy marl,  three  feet  thick,  where  issued  a  jet  of  water  very  clear, 
but  from  the  peculiarity  of  its  taste,  unfit  for  drinking.  Its 
temperature  was  14°  5  Reaumur  (65  farenheit)  and  it  rose  from 
three  to  four  feet  above  the  surface. 

*«  A  second  boring  undertaken  six  feet  from  the  first,  gave  at 
the  same  depth  a  jet  of  water,  but  the  first  jet  diminished,  and 


35 


the  quantity  of  water  from  both  was  less  than  that  which  first 
issued  from  the  former.  The  boring  of  the  latter  was  contin- 
ued to  the  depth  of  one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet,  when  the 
sound  began  to  sink  of  itself,  and  when  precipitately  withdrawn 
the  water  rushed  up  to  the  height  of  five  feet,  and  astonished 
all  by  its  abundance  and  force.  No  obstacle  could  restrain  it. 
Direct  attempts  were  made  to  determine  the  maximum  height 
to  which  it  might  rise,  but  fifty  feet  was  decreed  to  be  fully 
within  the  limits  of  the  ascending  force. 

At  the  time  the  letter  was  written  several  weeks  after  the 
first  issue  of  the  water,  it  continued  to  flow  with  the  same  vio- 
lence, and  with  rather  increased  quantity.  From  the  dimen- 
sions and  velocity  of  the  current,  it  appeared  to  supply  four 
hundred  and  thirty  gallons  per  minute,  or  two  thousand  eight 
hundred  cubic  metres  per  day.  A  leaden  weight  of  eight 
pounds  supported  by  a  string  being  placed  in  the  tube,  was 
thrown  out  by  the  water." 

In  1798,  Dr.  Joseph  Brown  introduced  a  report  for  supplying 
the  city  with  water.  This  document  discovers  much  scientific 
research,  and  is  written  with  ability.  His  attention  was  direct- 
ed to  supplies  from  the  Bronx,  as  the  only  possible  point  from 
which  they  could  be  obtained,  and  to  raise  them  by  machinery 
at  Harlem.  One  of  his  principal  objections  to  procuring  water 
on  the  Island  was,  as  before  stated,  that  the  impurities  could 
not  be  excluded. 

In  1799,  William  Weston,  Esq.  also  made  a  report,  following 
the  opinion  of  Dr.  Brown,  and  only  differed  in  one  point. — 
His  opinion  was,  that  the  water  might  be  taken  from  the  Bronx 
at  a  level  sufficiently  elevated,  to  deliver  it  on  the  Island  with- 
out machinery.  On  the  subject  of  internal  supplies,  he  says 
the  "question  has  much  agitated  the  public  mind,  and  each  plan 
in  its  turn,  been  extolled  or  decried  by  their  respective  advo- 
cates and  opponents,"  and  declines  all  argument  on  the  subject. 

As  it  was  in  this  year  the  Manhattan  Company  received  their 
charter,  11  to  supply  the  City  with  pure  and  wholesome  water," 
and  as  it  does  not  appear  that  th^r  efforts  were  directed  to  any 
foreign  source,  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude,  that  the  opinion  in 
favour  of  the  internal  supply  predominated.  I  am  not  in  pos- 
session of  any  further  data  on  this  subject  till  1822  ;  and  from 


S6 


the  report  of  the  Water  Commissioners,  p.  374,  doc.  36,  it  ap- 
pears, that  that  year  the  Common  Council  set  on  foot  an  ex- 
amination of  the  "  Bronx  river,  and  the  lakes  which  form  its 
principal  source,"  and  Canvass  W  hite,  Esq.  was  appointed  civil 
Engineer  for  that  purpose  ;  his  report  was  not  received  until 
1824.  Here  the  subject  rested  till  1825,  when  the  New-York 
Water  Work  Company  was  incorporated  by  the  Legislatures — 
The  same  Engineer  was  also  employed  by  this  Company. — » 
Taeir  surveys  were  also  directed  to  the  waters  of  the  Bronx. 
It  appears  that  difficulties  arose  in  relation  to  their  vested  rights, 
in  taking  the  "  waters  and  lands,"  by  appraisement,  and  that  in 
an  application  to  the  Legislature  in  1826  authorising  "  the  Com- 
pany to  take  such  waters,  lands,  and  materials,"  "  they  were 
defeated,"  by  M  the  interposition  of  the.  Sharon  Canal  Company, 
incorporated  in  1S23."  This  Company  was  dissolved  in  1827. 
An  attempt  was  made  in  1831  by  the  Common  Council  for  an 
act  of  the  Legislature  M  granting  power  to  the  Common  Council 
to  raise  money  by  loan  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  a  supply 
of  pure  water  to  the  City  ;"  but  the  Legislature  did  not  see  fit 
to  grant  the  necessary  authority.  See  Water  Commissioners 
report,  p.  375,  doc.  36. 

It  also  appears  that  up  to  this  time,  the  waters  of  the  Bronx 
were  considered  the  only  feasible  source,  from  which  they  could 
be  taken  with  any  prospect  of  success.  The  public  attention 
had  been  directed  to  other  sources,  but  all  presented  obstacles, 
which  were  sufficient  to  prevent  critical  examinations. 

In  1832  Col.  Dewitt  Clinton  was  appointed  by  the  Common 
Council,  "  to  proceed  and  examine  the  continuation  of  the  route 
from  Chatterton  Hill,  near  White  Plains,  to  the  Croton  River, 
or  such  other  source  in  that  county,  as  he  may  suppose,  that  an 
inexhaustible  supply  of  pure  and  wholesome  water,  for  the  city 
of  New-York,  may  be  obtained,"  doc-  61. 

Col.  Clinton,  in  December  of  that  year  made  his  report. — 
From  this  document  it  appears,  he  made  no  actual  surveys,  but 
depended  on  others  for  his  information.  His  proposition  was, 
to  take  the  waters  of  the  Croton,  at  Pine's  Bridge,  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  feet  above  tide,  to  be  con- 
ducted in  an  open  acqueduct,  following  the  line  of  the  Croton 
and  Hudson  Rivers,  and  cross  Hnrlem  River  on  an  arch  one 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  feet  high,  and  one  thousand  feet  in 


37 


length.  His  estimate  of  expense  was  only  82,500,000.  He 
gives  the  quantity  of  water  passing,  which  he  says  was  from 
guages  "furnished  by  Mr.  Cariwright  of  Croton  Valley,  20,000 
000  gallons,"  in  the  driest  time,  but  considers  that  fcl  this  supply 
might  be  augmented  by  constructing  reservoirs,"  p.  233,  doc.GL 

His  report  contains  much  valuable  statistical  information  i 
that,  "  the  route  passes  through  a  country  which  can  never, 
from  its  character,  be  densely  populated,  or  much  cultivated  ; 
that  the  banks  of  the  Croton  are  "elevated  and  broken,"  and  in 
other  places,  considerable  ravines  and  gulphs  ;  that  the  route 
presents  great,  but  not  insurmountable  difficulties.  He  says,  p. 
220,  doc.  01,  "  by  examining  the  elevations  between  the  Cisco 
and  Sawmill  Rivers,  and  comparing  them  with  the  height  of 
the  ridge,  we  will  find  it  is  utterly  hopeless  to  expect  any  oth- 
er place  of  departure  than  the  one  fixed  on  by  the  Sharon  Ca- 
nal company,"  and  says,  his  "opinions  were  formed  under  great 
doubts  and  perplexities." 

By  the  proceedings  of  the  Common  Council,  January,  1833, 
it  appears  that  an  application  was  made  to  the  Legislature  of  the 
state,  toappoint  "a  Board  of  Commissioners,  with  full  power  to 
examine  all  the  plans  which  have  hitherto  been  proposed — to 
cause  actual  surveys  to  be  made — to  have  the  water  tested — to 
estimate  the  probable  expense,  and  generally  to  do,  whatever,  in 
their  judgment  may  be  necessary  to  arrive  at  a  right  result,  as 
to  the  best  mode  of  effecting  the  proposed  object,  and  the  amount 
of  money  necessary  to  be  obtained,  and  expended  for  that  pur- 
pose." 

This  outline  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature  is  extracted  from  a 
report  to  the  Common  Council,  by  the  committee  on  fire  and 
water,  December  24,  1832,  appended  to  Col.  Clinton's  report, 
doc.  61.  In  this  report  they  also  say,  "  that  scientific  men  have 
already  examined  the  subject,  and  that  their  reports  leave  no 
room  to  doubt  the  practicability  of  obtaining  an  abundant  sup- 
ply of  pure  water  for  the  city,  in  various  ways."  They  also 
say  that  the  object  in  the  application  was  to  "obtain  and  furnish 
to  the  Legislature,  correct  information."  On  this  application, 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  was  passed,  during  the  session  of  the 
Legislature,  1833. 

By  this  act,  the  Governor  was  directed  to  "  nominate,  and 
with  the  consent  of  the  senate,  shall  appoint  five  persons,  to  be 


38 


known  as  the  Water  Commissioners  for  the  city  of  New-York." 
The  second  section  is  as  follows,  viz  :  "  It  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  said  Commissioners,  to  examine  and  consider  all  matters 
relative  to  supplying  the  City  of  New-York  with  pure  and 
wholesome  water,  for  the  use  of  its  inhabitants,  and  to  the  amount 
of  money  necessary  for  the  object." 

By  the  5th  section,  it  was  made  part  of  their  duty,  that  their 
"  report  shall  be  made  and  presented  by  them  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, on  or  before  the  second  Monday  of  January  1834."  This 
is  the  report  on  which  I  have  treated  in  the  former  part  of  this 
work,  and  I  think  my  fellow  citizens  will  concur  with  me  in 
opinion,  that  the  Commissioners,  either  from  a  want  of  proper 
attention,  or  from  having  been  led  into  error  by  the  sources 
from  which  they  obtained  their  information,  have  placed  the 
subject  of  procuring  internal  supplies,  and  "  the  money  neces- 
sary to  effect  the  object,  in  a  very  partial  and  exaggerated 
manner  to  the  Legislature. 

The  Gentlemen  appointed  were,  Stephen  Allen,  Saul  Alley, 
Wm.  W.  Fox,  Charles  Dusenbery,  and  Benjamin  M.  Brown. 

I  now  proceed  to  a  brief  examination  of  the  report  of  D.  B. 
Douglass,  Esq.  accompanying  the  report  aforesaid.  This  ap- 
pears to  have  been  made  out  after  very  minute  surveys,  and 
with  a  care  and  precision  highly  creditable  to  the  Engineer. — 
The  map  and  profiles  accompanying  it,  give  a  very  plain  and 
enlarged  view  of  the  whole  supplies  and  route,  and  it  is  to  be 
regretted  that  the  Corporation  did  not  order  a  far  greater  num- 
ber (500)  to  be  published,  that  the  citizens  might  have  been 
fully  apprised  of  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  and  form  their 
own  opinions  of  the  correctness  of  the  estimated  expense.  As 
by  the  proceedings  of  the  Corporation,  I  perceive  that  the  Com- 
missioners have  very  recently  made  another  report,  and  that 
2500  copies  of  it  are  to  be  printed.  I  shall  very  briefly  treat  on 
this  trusting  that  every  citizen  will  avail  himself  of  examining 
their  last  report. 

From  the  map  appended  to  the  report,  the  waters  that  are  to 
be  depended  upon  are  the  head  waters  of  the  Croton,  to  be  di- 
verted from  it  about  twelve  miles  from  its  mouth.  Its  streams 
are  supplied  from  numerous  ponds,  on  the  highlands  of  West- 
Chester  and  Putnam  Counties,  at  an  average  elevation  of  about 
two-hundred  and  seventy  feet  above  tide.    The  whole  extent 


59 


of  country  from  which  the  supply  is  expected,  is  about  sixteen 
by  eighteen  miles.  These  waters  are  all  to  be  concentrated  in 
a  reservoir  at  Wood's  Bridge,  near  Mechanicsville  ;  and  the 
distance  of  the  proposed  routes  of  conveyance  are  laid  down 
at  about  forty-five  miles  from  the  City  Hall.  The  estimated 
quantity  of  water  running  in  the  Croton,  ascertained  by  his 
guages,  was  32,503,700  gallons.  It  is  to  be  recollected  that 
Mr.  Cartwright's  guage,  some  distance  below,  as  published  by 
Col.  Clinton,  was  20,000,000.  Mr.  Douglas  considers  that  26, 
002,008  gallons  may  be  safely  depended  upon. 

Two  routes  are  proposed.  One  taking  the  waters,  by  a  dam 
across  the  main  Croton,  at  about  one  and  a  quarter  miles  be- 
low Mechanicsville,  and  at  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet 
above  tide.  This  route  follows  the  banks  of  the  Croton  and 
Hudson,  and  crosses  Saw  Mill  river,  about  two  miles  back  of 
Yonkers,  and  continues  on,  parallel  to  the  Hudson,  and  from 
four  to  five  hundred  rods  distance,  intersecting  the  Harlem  at 
about  three  hundred  rods  from  the  former  river;  thence  to  a 
distributing  "  reservoir,  between  the  Ninth  and  Tenth  Avenues, 
and  133d  and  137th  streets, — whole  distance,  nearly  forty- 
seven  miles  :  estimated  expense,  84,718,167."  The  other 
route  takes  an  inland  direction,  and  crosses  into  the  valley  of 
the  Saw  Mill  river,  at  its  head,  and  follows  down  its  eastern 
bank,  intersecting  the  former,  at  where  it  crosses  that  river. — 
The  starting  point  of  this  is  near  Wood's  Bridge,  and  at  an 
elevation  of  about  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight  feet  above  tide. 
The  distance  of  this  route  is  thirty-seven  miles  and  fifty-two 
chains  to  the  same  point  on  the  Island,  and  the  estimated  ex- 
pense, §5,827,237.  My  limits  will  not  allow  me  to  enter  into 
detail  on  the  nature  of  these  routes.  I  regret  that  the  Engi- 
neer did  not  more  particularly  describe  the  cuttings  on  his  pro- 
file, defining  what  parts  were  rock,  and  what  earth.  The  fol- 
lowing construction  of  the  canal  is  recommended. 

P.  401,  doc.  36. — "  The  works  are  all  supposed  to  be  con- 
structed of  the  best  and  most  imperishable  materials,  put  to- 
gether in  the  strongest  manner,  the  head  reservoirs  to  be 
cleared  of  all  their  soil,  trees,  and  vegetables,  and  surrounded 
by  a  regular  bank;  the  dams  and  walls  to  be  built  of  massive 
stone  masonry,  the  water  way  of  masonry  as  already  described, 
closed  either  with  a  roof  or  an  arch,  the  earth  thrown  back 


40 


upon  it,"  (where  deep  excavations  occur,)  "  and  furnished 
with  ventilators,  at  suitable  intervals,  small  culverts,  to  be  con- 
structed by  iron  pipes,  set  in  the  foundations  as  occasion  may- 
require,  larger  culverts  and  acqueducts,  to  be  built  of  the  best 
stone-work,  in  a  plain,  substantial  manner  ;  embankments  gen- 
erally to  be  formed  of  stone." 

Any  person  acquainted  with  the  country,  must  be  convinced 
that  to  grade  to  a  level  on  these  broken  highlands,  for  a  dis- 
tance of  more  than  forty  miles,  cutting  down  the  hills — which 
have  much  the  same  character  as  on  the  Island — and  filling  up 
the  hollows  with  embankments  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  sus- 
tain a  canal  of  the  above  description,  must  be  a  work  of  incal- 
culable expense.  The  dimensions  of  the  canal,  he  considers 
necessary  to  be  four  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  and  six  at  the 
top,  and  six  feet  deep  ;  and  where  it  is  necessary  to  be  con- 
structed on  earth,  and  "  to  protect  the  bottom  against  the  ab- 
rasion of  the  current,  it  should  be  covered  with  a  heavy  layer 
of  masonry  composition,  called  beton,  or  better  by  a  reversed 
arch  of  hard  brick,  laid  with  cement  in  a  prepared  mould  of  the 
beton;"  (p.  391,  doc.  36.)  By  examining  the  profile,  I  find 
that  on  one  section  of  eight  miles,  on  the  interior  route,  there 
will  be  required  an  average  excavation  of  20  feet.  This  sec- 
tion is  between  Muddy  Brook  and  Saw  Mill  rivers  ;  and,  in 
this  extent,  only  three  miles  is  given  of  the  deepest  part,  at  an 
average  of  thirty-eight  feet.  This  is  on  an  elevation  of  from 
two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  to  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  feet 
above  tide  ;  and,  although  no  account  is  given  of  what  part  of 
it  is  rock,  yet  it  is  well  known,  that,  on  these  highlands,  the 
rock,  which  is  of  the  same  gneiss  that  exists  on  our  Island, 
lays  near  the  surface,  and  always  nearest  on  the  high  grounds, 
often  coming  to  the  top.  It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  but  they 
will  find  much  of  the  distance  to  be  excavated  in  a  rock  similar 
to  that  on  the  Harlem  Rail-Koad.  On  that  road,  at  one  place, 
where  they  did  not  expect  it,  they  came  to  an  elevation  of  the 
rock,  which  cost  them  an  immense  sum  more  than  was  contem- 
plated. It  appears  to  me  an  extraordinary  circumstance,  that, 
although  the  excavations  and  fillings  in  are  laid  down  with 
great  minuteness  on  the  profile,  no  description  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  substances  to  be  removed,  or  the  facilities  for  ele- 
vating the  embankments,  is  given.    From  the  profile,  it  appears 


41 


that  more  than  nine-tenths  of  the  line  is  either  to  be  depressed 
or  elevated,  and  yet  nothing  appears  to  satisfy  public  inquiry 
on  thp  Pvnpnsfi.  except  ffeneral  estimate.  One  principle  laid 
down,  appears  to  me  of  an  extraordinary  character  :  p.  399, 
doc.  36,  the  Engineer  says,  M  It  is  rather  a  fortunate  circum- 
stance than  otherwise,  that  the  rock  does  occur  on  a  consider- 
able portion  of  this,"  the  Hudson  River  route.  M  It  is  only 
when  it  presents  itself  in  the  form  of  steep  precipices,  and 
sharp  points,  or  in  great  heaps  of  loose  rock,  that  it  becomes 
more  expensive. "  I  can  only  account  for  this  declaration, 
from  the  opinion  that  the  Engineer  was  wholly  unacquainted 
with  excavations  of  rock,  particularly  of  the  nature  of  those 
over  which  the  route  traverses.  The  practical  experience  of 
the  writer,  on  this  subject,  induces  him  to  demur  entirely  to 
this  position,  and  to  assert  that  no  probable  calculation  can  be 
made,  that  will  come  up  to  the  expense  of  excavating  the  shelly 
ledges,  which  abound  all  over  this  section  of  the  country.  Be- 
sides, the  rock  is  filled  in  its  crevices  with  mineral  compounds, 
which,  from  natural  causes,  collect  in  them,  and  would  destroy 
the  quality  of  the  water,  unless  shut  out  by  mason-work,  im- 
pervious to  it.  Springs  will  also  frequently  be  met  with,  the 
waters  of  which  must  be  carried  off  by  acqueducts,  and  the 
washings  from  the  banks  above  the  canal,  caused  by  rain,  must 
be  guarded  against,  or  they  would  carry  their  impurities  into 
it,  and  impregnate  its  waters.  An  acqueduct  will,  therefore, 
have  to  be  formed  under  the  canal,  with  frequent  culverts  on 
its  sides,  to  carry  off  these  waters. 

It  is  to  be  recollected  that  the  interior  of  the  Canal  is  to  be 
four  feet  at  the  bottom,  six  feet  at  the  top,  and  six  feet  deep  ; — 
and  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  an  excavation  will  therefore 
be  required  sufficiently  great  to  admit  its  foundation  and  walls  ; 
this  could  not  be  less  than  two  feet  on  its  bottom  and  sides. — 
It  would  therefore  require  the  excavation  to  be  eight  feet  deep, 
eight  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  and  ten  feet  at  the  top.  How 
he  should  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  "  in  the  tunnel  wherever 
the  cutting  can  be  dispensed  with,  the  preparation  of  the  chan- 
nel way  will  not  probably  exceed  $15,000  per  mile  altogether," 
p.  392,  doc.  36,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  determine.  His  opinions 
also,  that  the  expense  of  masonry  construction,  "in  rock  exca- 
vation" will  be  duninislied  at  least  S15,000  per  mile,  truly  aston* 


42 


ishes  me.  I  am  not  disposed  to  attribute  any  improper  motives 
to  the  able  Engineers,  but  believe  that  practical  men  in  making 
contra*  la,  will  form  vc.y  different  estimates.  I  need  only  refer 
to  the  construction  of  the  Harlem  Kail-Koad  ;  all  of  my  fellow 
citizens  are  acquainted  with  its  locality.  They  likewise  under- 
stand the  slow  progress  in  the  work,  and  the  large  sums  that 
must  be  required  to  complete  it.  What  then  must  be  their 
opinion  of  the  probable  sufficiency  of  estimated  expenses,  com- 
pared with  the  actual  cost  of  the  work,  when  thfy  learn  that 
although  the  capital  stock  oi  the  Company  was  $500,000,  yet 
it  is  already  exhausted,  and  they  have  applied  to  the  Legislature 
for  an  increase  of  capital,  to  enable  them  to  complete  the  work. 
Certainly  the  work  bears  no  comparison  to  that  proposed.  The 
whole  completion  of  it,  from  first  to  last,  no  person  would  be- 
lieve would  be  a  fiftieth  part  of  what  would  be  requires!  to 
construct  the  proposed  water  works.  On  this,  all  materials  are 
near  at  hand,  and  couJd  be  transported  to  within  a  few  feet  of 
the  place  required,  on  cars,  on  the  rails  laid  down.  There  every 
thing  must  be  transported  over  that  rough  country,  by  heavy 
teams,  and  often  some  miles,  and  not  unfrequently,  roads  con- 
structed to  convey  them. 

Here  no  hewn  stone  were  required.  There  eighteen  feet  of 
hewn  stone,  faced  on  three  sides  would  be  necessary,  for  every 
foot  of  its  length  :  this  would  require  4,515,840  feet.  Masons 
would  also  be  required  to  lay  them,  and  teams  to  transport 
them,  and  on  the  parts  carried  over  deep  vallies,  machinery  to 
elevate  them.  I  might  go  into  further  details  on  the  subject, 
hut  I  consider  it  unnecessary.  Here  every  facility  was  near  at 
hand,  in  our  very  city. 

Col.  Clinton  says,  the  route  "  passes  through  a  country 
which  iroin  its  character,  can  never  be  densely  populated,  nor 
much  cultivated,"  this  would  also  add  greatly  to  the  expense, 
in  affording  sustenance  to  men  and  animals  ;  the  erection  of 
shantees  to  live  in,  and  shops  for  the  required  mechanical  pur- 
poses, there  is  no  reasonable  person  I  conceive,  but  what  would 
be  convinced  that  the  expense  must  be  more  than  double  the 
estimated  sum. 

There  is  another  item  of  expense  which  I  believe  must  be 
immeasurably  greater  than  that  estimated.  The  highest  esti- 
mate of  damages  for  lands,  water-rights,  &x.  is  only  $200,50Q» 


43 


for  using  the  waters  of  all  a  tract  of  country  of  sixteen  by  eigh- 
teen miles,  diverting  it  in  eleven  instances  from  its  natural 
channels  of  outlets  from  ponds,  also  lands  that  will  be  required 
for  a  number  of  reservoirs  above  where  it  is  taken  from  the 
Croton,  and  below,  destroying  all  the  hydraulic  power  of 
twelve  miles  ot  that  river,  within  fifty  miles  of  the  city,  which 
is  known  to  exist  almost  its  whole  length,  and  on  which  many 
works  are  already  erected.  This  I  consider  must  be  very  wide 
from  the  fact.  All  know  with  what  avidity  individuals  seize 
an  opportunity  of  exacting  damage*  for  public  works,  and  ap- 
plicants will  unquestionably  spring  up  on  its  whole  extent. 

T  am  fully  convinced  that  $10,000,000  will  fall  short  of  the 
required  expense,  and  the  result  of  the  construction  of  the 
Harlem  Rail  Road  above  cited,  fully  warrants  the  conclusion. 
I  hope  the  Water  Commissioners  in  their  forthcoming  report, 
will  give  the  estimated  expense  in  detail,  and  founded  on  actu- 
al estimates  of  what  the  work  may  be  contracted  to  be  accom- 
plished for.  They  were  certainly  bound  so  to  do,  and  if  they 
have  not,  our  Common  Council  should  require  it  before  they 
make  any  further  advances  in  the  undertaking.  Should  not 
that  be  the  case,  the  only  safety  to  the  citizens  is,  that  the 
Legislature  will  not  by  their  act,  sanction  the  taking  the  earn- 
ings of  the  industrious  mechanics,  artisans,  traders,  and  labor- 
ers of  this  city  to  pay  for  what  may  be  obtained,  as  has  been 
shown  at  such  comparatively  trifling  expense. 

Objections  to  introducing-  the  water  in  a  Canal  or  Acqueduct. 

If  the  amount  of  expense  should  not  be  considered  of  suffi- 
cient importance  to  prevent  the  undertaking,  there  are  other 
important  subjects  to  be  taken  into  view.  It  is  seen  that  the 
works  are  to  be  constructed  over  every  variety  of  surface. — 
Their  great  weight  over  the  gulphs,  ravines  and  vallies,  will 
have  a  tendency  to  make  them  settle  and  open  cracks  in  them, 
that  will  produce  leakage,  perhaps  destroy  them  at  that  point. 
On  springy  grounds,  in  vallies,  it  is  with  great  difficulty  that 
foundations  can  be  made  to  stand.  Passing  suddenly  from 
rock  bed  to  soil,  or  from  one  character  of  soil  to  another,  will 
cause  an  inequality  in  the  level,  and  consequently  crack  the 
acqueduct  and  open  the  joints.    The  large  amount  of  water 


44. 


which  collect  from  the  hills  in  deep  rallies,  rush  on  em- 
bankments, and  finding  an  avenue,  often  do  immense  damage. 
The  burrowing  of  an  animal  through  them  has  been  known  to 
be  the  cause  of  total  destruction.  Intense  frost  also,  often  has 
a  powerful  effect  on  works  of  whatever  magnitude,  that  come 
within  the  reach  of  its  influence.  Any  breach,  particularly  in 
the  winter  season,  could  not  easily  or  quickly  be  repaired,  and 
the  danger  and  evils  to  the  city  might  be  immeasurably  great. 

But  there  is  another  objection  to  the  proposed  plan  of  a  canal, 
which  I  consider  of  sufficient  importance  to  prevent  its  use. — 
Will  not  the  waters  freeze  in  its  channel  ?  I  answer,  they  will 
freeze  and  obstruct  it.  But  it  is  said,  a  shingletl  iuof  is  to  be 
constructed  over  it.    I  again  say,  that  will  not  prevent  it. 

We  all  know  with  what  intensity  severe  frosts  penetrate  cel- 
lars, and  even  wells  fed  by  warm  springs,  have  been  known  to 
be  frozen  at  a  depth  of  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  below  the  surface. 
Will  then  a  shingled  and  boarded  roof  shield  it  from  freezing 
on  the  top  of  the  highlands  of  West-Chester  county  ?    Its  fall 
is  very  inconsiderable,  and  its  serpentine  course  will  tend 
greatly  to  diminish  its  velocity.    The  depth  of  water  under  any 
circumstances,  in  the  canaJ,  will  not  exceed  four  feet.    At  this 
depth,  the  report  estimates  a  supply  of  29,948,800  gallons  in 
twenty-four  hours,  and  that  the  whole  waters  of  the  Croton, 
deducting  the  probable  wastage  26,000,000  p.  387,  388,  doc.  31. 
In  the  whole  distance  no  unfrozen  soil  banks  are  to  form  its 
sides  and  bottom,  and  no  streams  of  water  warm  from  springs 
are  to  be  continually  replenishing  it.    It  is  well  known  to  what 
extent  streams  of  great  magnitude  and  in  their  natural  channels, 
with  a  rapid  current,  freeze,  while  their  surface  remains  smooth. 
Such  streams  passing  the  deep  recesses  of  forests,  where  the 
ground  never  freezes  and  in  parts  through  swamps  filled  with 
warm  springs,  are  always  frozen  in  our  climate,  to  a  thickness 
to  afford  facilities  for  passing  them. 

The  Connecticut,  that  rises  in  the  Highlands,  on  the  borders 
of  Canada,  and  flows  with  a  rapid  current  in  a  deep  valley,  its 
banks  high,  and  formed  of  alluvial  soil  for  several  hundred 
miles,  receiving  the  waters  from  all  the  springs  and  rivers  that 
rise  from  the  whole  eastern  slope  of  the  Green  Mountains,  in 
Vermont ;  and  the  range  of  highlands  on  the  east,  freezes  to 
such  a  depth,  that,  when  it  breaks  up  in  the  spiing,  fields  of 


43 


ice  are  seen  hurrying  down  its  current,  sweeping,  in  their 
course,  all  obstructions,  and,  often  damming  up,  form  piles  of 
immense  extent.  On  this  river,  within  the  distance  of  a  few 
rods,  at  Bellow's  Falls,  whose  declivity  is  great  and  rapid, 
loaded  teams  often  pass,  for  several  weeks  in  the  winter.  The 
waters  in  our  canals  are  always  let  out  in  the  fall,  to  prevent 
freezing.  All  know  to  what  extent  the  Hudson  freezes,  al- 
though the  tide  elevates  and  depresses  its  surface.  Can  it  be 
supposed,  then,  that  a  volume  of  water  four  feet  by  five,  carried 
in  a  stone  canal,  at  an  average  elevation  of  near  two  hundred 
feet  above  tide,  will  be  protected  from  freezing,  even  to  its 
bottom,  when  the  thermometer  ranges,  as  it  has  this  winter, 
at  some  degrees  below  zero,  with  only  a  board  and  shingle 
roof  to  protect  it  ?  Nothing  short  of  an  arched  roof,  of  mason- 
work,  and  covered  with  earth,  will  ever  give  it  the  required 
protection  ;  and  I  very  much  doubt  whether  that  will  be  a  se- 
curity, on  the  high  embankments  at  Harlem  River,  and  other 
places. 

I  readily  admit  that  the  amount  of  supplies  will  equal  any 
demand,  but  it  appears  that  it  was  not  till  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  whole  might  be  obtained,  and  all  converted  to  our  use, 
that  the  authorities  of  our  city  felt  authorized  to  propose  their 
introduction.  No  others  can  ever  be  obtained  in  that  direction. 
And  if,  from  a  convulsion  of  nature,  or  any  other  cause,  any 
considerable  quantity  should  be  diverted,  the  loss  could  not  be 
remedied.  It  will  be  recollected,  too,  that  these  supplies  are 
received  from  numerous  ponds,  of  no  great  extent,  on  very  ele- 
vated grounds,  that  form  the  summit  between  the  waters  that 
fall  westerly  into  the  Hudson,  and  south-easterly  into  the 
Sound.  These  are  spread  over  a  tract  of  only  sixteen  by 
eighteen  miles — as  appears  by  the  map  attached  to  the  report; 
an  area  of  surface  about  twenty  times  larger  than  our  Island. 

I  verily  believe  that  more  may  be  obtained  here  by  the  aid 
of  machinery,  than  all  that  spontaneously  flows  from  these 
sources.  We  have  heard  much  said  of  the  water-works  at 
Philadelphia  ;  but  is  the  Croton,  at  Mechanicsville,  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  Schuylkill,  at  Philadelphia,  that  takes  its  rise 
west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  receiving,  as  its  tributaries,  the  streams 
that  rise  in  them,  and  flow  in  their  eastern  and  western  vallies, 
one  of  which  would  equal  the  dimensions  of  the  Croton.  That 


46 


stream  traverses  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and,  in  its 
whole  length,  is  continually  receiving  accessions  from  streams 
flowing  into  it.  If  the  whole  amount  of  the  supplies  on  which 
we  are  to  depend  were  diverted  from  its  volume,  they  would 
not  be  missed  in  its  current. 

A  serious  question  then  occurs  ;  are  the  supplies  on  which 
we  must  alone  depend,  ic  any  way  adequate  to  warrant  an  un-, 
dertaking  of  such  immense  magnitude,  unless  it  be  a  last  re- 
sort ? 

Serious  inconveniences  must,  also,  often  happen,  from  de- 
fects which  will  occur  in  the  works  ;  for  contractors  can  de- 
ceive you  if  they  will — and  they  will  if  they  can.  Any  consid- 
erable failure,  in  any  part  of  the  route,  particularly  in  the  in- 
clement portions  of  the  year,  may  be  attended  with  the  most 
serious  evils.  It  will  require  constant  watchfulness,  on  its 
whole  route,  to  guard  against  these  accidents,  which  must  be 
attended  with  great  annual  expenditure.  . 

There  is  still  another  calamity  to  be  guarded  against.  Al- 
though peace  now  spreads  its  benign  influence  over  our  happy 
land,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  regard  to  justice  and  national 
honour,  by  other  powers,  will  long  continue  it — although  a 
mighty  ocean  separates  us  from  other  nations  of  the  earth, 
from  whom  we  might  apprehend  invasion — and,  if  our  civil 
institutions  are  based  on  liberty  and  the  rights  of  man,  al- 
though our  population  are  hardy,  brave,  intelligent,  patriotic, 
owmers  of  the  soil,  and  jealous  of  their  liberties — if  we  are  pro- 
gressing, with  gigantic  strides,  to  a  mighty  empire — yet,  civil 
commotions,  originating  in  the  most  trifling  causes,  may 
change  the  whole  aspect  of  our  national  ufl'airs. 

Our  union,  while  preserved,  is  the  ^Egis  of  our  strength  ;  if 
destroyed — God  grant  it  never  may  be  ! — deplorable  indeed 
would  be  our  condition,  feeble  our  subdivisions,  and  weak  our 
national  energies.  Insurrections  may  also  break  out,  or  an 
adjoining  State,  or  States,  may  bring  their  forces  to  bear  on 
us.  What,  under  any  of  these  circumstances,  would  be  our 
condition  ?  Should  an  army  hover  round  us — should  our  city 
be  besieged — what,  I  ask,  would  be  the  condition  of  its  inhab- 
itants ?  Even  a  foraging  party  could,  in  a  few  hours,  cut  off 
our  whole  supplies  of  water ;  for  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
a  part  of  the  proposed  plan  is  to  discontinue  the  use  of  wells, 


47 


to  be  enabled  to  meet  the  annual  interest  of  the  investment, 

and  exDenses. 

Any,  or  all  these  occurrences  may  take  place.  All  who 
have  read  of  the  sufferings  of  the  inhabitants  of  besieged  cities, 
whose  supplies  of  water  have  been  destroyed,  can  form,  though 
faintly,  an  idea  of  the  miseries  occasioned  by  such  direful  ca- 
lamities. 

1  am  aware  that  the  interested  may  tax  the  above  remarks 
with  a  design  to  excite  the  passions,  and  thus  prejudice  the 
community  tLg**Q8t  the  proposed  measure  ;  or  the  unthinking 
may  s'nile  at  the  idea  that  such  an  event  might  ever  occur.—- 
I  care  not  for  either.  All  history  confirms  the  position.  The 
mighty  nations,  now  known  only  from  the  historic  page,  and 
the  renowned  ciiies,  the  capitols  of  once  powerful  empires, 
whose  magnificent  and  mouldering  ruins  bear  testimony  to 
their  extent,  and  their  grandeur,  afford  indubitable  proof  that 
desolating  war  has  brandished  its  scourge  over  every  ancient 
nation, — and  no  possible  reason  can  be  assigned  why  it  will 
not  so  continue.  During  the  last  half  century,  how  many  pop- 
ulous cities  have  submitted  to  an  invading  foe  ! — nor  is  it  to  be 
supposed  that  extensive  revolutions  will  not  again  take  place  ; 
or  is  it  the  dictate  of  prudence  to  be  unprepared  for  resist- 
ance ? 

We  erect  fortifications,  we  build  navies  ;  but  what  defence,  I 
ask,  would  they  be,  if  our  supplies  of  water  were  cut  off  ! — 
But,  if  foreign  invasion  does  not  take  place,  where  is  now  the 
nation  in  the  civilized  world,  except  our  own,  whose  important 
cities  have  not  been  invested,  nay,  taken,  in  domestic  commo- 
tions ?  I  believe  this,  to  future  generations,  (and  it  mav  be  to 
the  present)  a  consideration  of  the  highest  importance. 

An  attempt  is  made  to  inflate  our  vanity,  by  introducing  the 
magnificent  works  of  the  ancient  Romans.  These,  however, 
were  constructed  with  the  wealth  of  sacked  cities,  and  by  the 
labour  of  fellow-beings,  hurried  from  their  homes,  and  doomed 
to  drag  out  a  miserable  existence  in  constructing  them.  Mod- 
ern works  in  Europe  are  also  cited,-  yet,  who  does  not  know 
that,  in  the  countries  where  they  were  constructed  the  produ- 
cing class  receive  but  little  more  than  to  sustain  life  for  their 
labour  —the  rest  all  reverting  to  the  nobility  ? 

Will  our  constituted  authorities  assume  the  responsibility  of 


48 


placing  on  our  industrious  citizens  the  interminable  burdens, 
which  must  follow  the  prosecution  of  this  plan  nf  :-*-r-»--fwg 
water,  till  every  other  prospect  fails  ?  If  the  proposed  plan  of 
procuring  internal  supplies  be  new,  is  it  to  be  rejected  on  that 
account?  All  know  with  what  difficulties  the  application  of 
steam,  as  a  propelling  power,  was  first  introduced  ;  and  are  the 
beneficial  consequences  less  valuable,  or  the  honour  to  the  in- 
dividual less  deserving  ?  The  favourable  results  from  boring 
for  water,  afford  equal  promise  of  usefulness  in  supplying  cit- 
ies and  countries  with  pure  water,  as  that  aid.  to  navigation  ; 
why  then  in  this  case  as  in  that,  may  not  New-York  take  the 
lead. 

The  question  at  issue  appears  to  me  to  be  narrowed  to  this 
single  point : — shall  we  be  supplied  with  spring  or  river  wa- 
ter ?  The  former  within  the  limits  of  the  city,  and  facilities 
at  all  times  at  hand  for  increasing  the  supplies  by  sinking  more 
shafts.  The  latter  brought  forty  miles  over  the  Highlands 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  Hudson,  and  all  the  quantity  that  can 
ever  be  obtained,  accurately  ascertained  by  the  utmost  extent 
of  hydraulic  guaging.  We  have  been  told  much  of  the  quality 
of  the  waters,  and  the  bountiful  supplies  in  London  and  Phila- 
delphia. The  quantity  I  admit  is  abundant,  and  the  quality 
soft,  but  it  is  loathsome  to  the  palate,  and  I  have  rarely  seen 
an  individual  who  has  not  expressed  his  dislike  to  it  on  account 
of  its  insipid  taste,  and  murky  appearance.  I  am  informed  by 
a  gentleman,  a  native  of  London,  of  undoubted  veracity,  that 
the  nobility  and  other  citizens,  procure  the  water  for  their  ta- 
bles, from  the  wells,  and  that  they  are  found  all  over  the  city. 

T  rnn«ulpr  the  npriod  fast  annroachinff  when  it  will  not  he 
thought  necessary  to  traverse  mountainous  regions  to  obtain 
the  waters  that  spontaneously  rise  from  the  earth  on  them,  and 
to  construct  works  on  the  surface  to  convey  them  to  distant 
places.  But  to  meet  the  streams  in  their  rocky  channels,  and 
draw  from  them  a  supply  unmixed  with  the  thousand  impuri- 
ties which  must  ever  admix  with  them  on  the  surface  of  the 
earth. 

The  theory  that  has  been  so  confidently  advanced  by  a  Com- 
mittee of  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  and  so  modestly  en- 
dorsed by  our  Water  Commissioners  in  their  report,  that  44  the 
water  obtained  from  the  wells  in  this  city,  is  derived  wholly 


49 


and  exclusively  from  the  atmosphere,  either  in  the  shape  of 
rain,  hail,  or  snow,"  I  conceive  to  be  an  official  theory,  which 
the  gentlemen  would  have  some  little  repugnance  in  defending, 
as  lecturers  on  natural  science.  In  fact  I  have  heard  it  men- 
tioned, that  there  have  been  some  misgivings  in  the  private 
conversation  of  some  gentlemen  as  to  the  actual  legitimacy  of 
this  child  of  so  many  learned  fathers,  and  honourable  sponsors. 
The  works  to  be  constructed  for  retaining  the  waters,  and 
transporting  them  over  the  city  will  be  the  same  if  either  me- 
thod is  adopted.  Fountains  in  our  public  squares  may  be  as 
readily  supplied  in  the  one  case  as  the  other,  and  it  will  require 
no  great  stretch  of  fancy  to  imagine  the  contrast.  If  we  have 
the  supplies  from  springs,  their  appearance  may  be  beautified 
with  pure  water,  rising  from  their  centre  through  a  white  mar- 
ble column,  divided  into  numerous  branches,  and  describing 
an  eliptic  curve  in  their  desent,  their  pearly  drops  glistening 
radiantly  in  the  sunbeams,  loose  themselves  in  the  fountain  be- 
low, whose  whole  body  will  exhibit  one  continued  mirror  of 
crystal  purity  and  clearness.  If  from  the  river,  a  turbid  hue 
will  dim  its  lustre,  and  a  muddy  sediment  destroy  its  clearness 
in  the  fountain,  and  constantly  accumulate  on  its  bottom. 

With  8500,000  the  former  may  be  obtained,  and  for  the  lat- 
ter, 85,000,000,  and  an  ad  infinitum  addition,  which  may,  and 
probably  will  swell  it  to  more  than  twice  that  amount. 

I  have  thus  performed  the  task  I  voluntarily  assumed.  I  am 
fully  aware  of  the  hazard  to  which  an  individual  is  exposed 
who  appears  before  the  public  in  contradiction  to  high  author- 
ity and  long  conceived  opinions,  and  I  shall  interpose  no  plea 
to  a  rigid  investigation  of  what  I  have  advanced.  I  have  had 
no  sinister  objects  to  accomplish.  It  will  be  no  difference  to 
me  whether  the  end  be  accomplished  by  one  individual  or  ano- 
ther—whether one  man,  or  body  of  men  replenish  their  coffers 
by  the  construction  of  the  works — whether  I  pay  here  or  pay 
there  for  the  privilege  of  slaking  my  thirst  with  nature's  bev- 
erage, pure  and  uncontaminated,  so  be  it,  that  it  is  produced  in 
such  way  as  may  render  it  the  least  expensive  it  possibly  may- 
be. I  care  not  whose  name  may  be  handed  to  posterity  with 
the  reiwiwn  of  having  been  the  author  of  the  projection,  the 
engineer  to  construct  them,  or  who  the  numberless  officers  may 
be  to  superintend  them,  if  I  and  my  fellow-citizens  arc  relieved 

7 


50 


from  the  evils  we  now  suffer. — That  accomplished,  I  am  con- 
tent to  travel  on  the  remainder  of  my  journey  of  life  in  the  re- 
tirement and  seclusion  that  now  attends  me,  satisfied  in  the  en- 
joyment of  the  benefits,  unambitious  of  the  honours  or  emolu- 
ments of  the  undertaking. 


I  have  been  favoured  with  the  certificate  of  Mr.  Richards, 
giving  a  description  of  his  shaft,  from  which  I  extract  the  fol- 
lowing : — 

"  After  fifteen  hours  trial,  the  quantity  pumped  for  an  hour 
was  measured,  and  found  to  be  at  the  rate  of  26,000  gallons  in 
twenty-four  hours.  It  is  nearly  as  soft  as  rain-water,  leaves 
no  scale  on  the  boilers,  bui,  on  the  contrary,  has  taken  off  that 
which  had  been  formed  from  the  water  previously  used,  and  left 
them  entirely  clean.  The  pump  and  water  may  be  examined 
at  the  Mills,  corner  of  Greenwich-lane  and  Perry-street. 

New-York,  April  7/A,  1832. 

"  GUY  RICHARDS." 


Explanation  of  Plates 


Plate  I  presents  a  north  and  south  view  of  the  rock  on 
which  the  Island  rests,  its  stratification  and  dip.  The  heavy- 
lines  represent  the  seams  or  veins  from  which  water  is  drawn, 
and  form  in  its  bed  an  irregular  inclination  with  its  surface. — 
The  fine  lines  shews  the  lamina,  or  layers  which  are  found  in 
quarrying,  and  as  they  are  exhibited  in  the  quarries  on  Black- 
well's  Island,  or  the  excavations  on  the  Harlem  Rail-Road. — 
On  the  map  the  lines  are  regular,  this  is  not  the  case  in  the  bed 
of  the  rock,  some  having  a  much  greater  inclination  than  oth- 
ers, and  this  profile  is  only  intended  to  show  their  general  de- 
clivity. 

The  profile  of  the  perforations  and  wells,  are  accurately  laid 
down  on  a  scale,  showing  the  thickness  of  earth  before  reach- 
ing the  rock,  and  their  depth  in  it.  From  these  it  will  be  read- 
ily perceived,  why  the  Bleecker-street  shaft  discharges  120,000 
gallons  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  Thirteenth-street  well 
only  21,000,  the  utter  uselessness  of  the  horizontal  shafts,  in 
obtaining  additional  supplies,  and  why  the  perforation  of  Mr. 
Disbrow,  in  its  bottom,  added  so  greatly  to  the  quantity  of  watrr. 

In  the  perforations  at  Bleecker-street,  at  Guv  Richards'  and 
Underwood's,  it  will  be  seen  the  bottom  rests  on  a  heavy  line. 
In  these,  and  all  others  that  terminate  in  the  rock,  the  vein  was 
of  such  dimensions  that  the  augur  suddenly  fell  in  it ;  and,  on 
being  drawn  out,  the  water  rose  to  the  elevation  given  in  their 
description.  The  attention  of  the  reader  is  particularly  di- 
rected to  the  perforation  of  water  near  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 
Asylum.  Here  the  whole  depth  was  rock,  and  the  water  rose 
in  plenty  to  within  eighteen  feet  of  its  surface. 

Plate  II  presents  transversely,  a  right-angular  view  of  the 
Island,  intended  to  represent  the  under  layers  of  rock,  from  the 
Ncrth  to  the  East  Rivers,  at  the  Thirteenth-street  well,  and  the 
othcis,  which  are  in  nearly  a  line  with  it,  between  them,  with  an 
aCcuran  view  of  their  depth  in  earth  and  rock.  Where  per. 
forations  \iavc  not  been  made,  the  line  between  the  rock  and 
earth,  and  al*j0  the  elevation  of  their  surface,  is  only  ima- 
ginary. 


</////////& 


AHM  r 
ME01CAI  LiUikAlili 


